sebs 2013 biodiversity book
TRANSCRIPT
BiodiversityOur Heritage, Our Wealth, Our Responsibility
Biodiversity
a
BiodiversityOur Heritage, Our Wealth, Our Responsibility
Text of the Exhibition Panels
b c
Minister of State (Independent Charge)
Environment & Forests
Government of India
New Delhi
Preface
Land, Water, Air and life are intricately woven. The prosperity of a nation is dependent on maintaining a fine balance between development and the health of ecosystems. With growing global population, forests and associated ecosystems play an increasingly important role in meeting the demand for food, fodder, fuel and sustain the livelihoods of the millions through myriad ecosystem services. At the local level, the link between people and the ecosystem is vital, especially in times of stress.
The Science Express - Biodiversity Special (SEBS) train is a special gift to the people of the country. It is through this train that the rich biodiversity heritage of the country can be shared widely, reaching school students, the youth and the general masses alike. It is estimated that the SEBS will reach out to over three million people as it
thtravels to the far reaches of the country, halting at more than 100 stations over two years, starting from 5 June 2012.
The SEBS is truly 'Biodiversity on Wheels'. I invite each of you to experience the rich natural heritage, and pledge to take affirmative action to cherish, nurture and protect our rich biodiversity heritage.
It is with great pride and optimism; I dedicate this exhibition to the people, especially the children of India.
Jayanthi Natarajan
'Prakriti Rakshati Rakshita” - Nature protects if she is protected.
Jayanthi Natarajan
Contents
d e
1 Biodiversity 1
2 Trans-Himalaya and Himalaya 21
3 The Gangetic Plain 39
4 North East India 52
5 The Indian Desert and The Semi-arid Zone 71
6 Western Ghats 91
7 The Deccan Peninsula 117
8 The Coasts and Islands 139
9 Acknowledgments 156
10 Note and Schedule on 166Science Express Biodiversity Special
Rail gaadi Rail gaadi
Biodiversity Biodiversity
It’s all about Life and Variety.
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Its all about Life and Variety.
Let's take a trip on a very special train
Experience a journey you may not take again.
Travel across a magical land
Of mountains and valleys, plateaus and sand.
In forests and fields deserts and seas
Animals and crops, microbes and trees.
Here on the wonderful Biodiversity Express
Explore and discover and experience afresh.
Colours and patterns, functions and form
To survive and thrive, adapt and transform.
Some gone forever, while some lost and found
Enter a wonderful world where discoveries abound.
Snow leopard, yak and double-humped camels
The Himalayan cold desert is home to these mammals.
Shining blue lakes in the rugged landscape
Welcome winged visitors many coloured and shaped.
Wander with shepherds and their woolly flocks
Up snowy mountains, down valleys, and over rocks.
All this and more you experience and savour
As the mighty you explore and discover.
Where the mighty flows
River dolphins swim and gharials are found
Proud tigers prowl and deer abound.
The fertile plains with bounteous yields
From forests and farmlands and fields.
A plentitude of plants for food and health
And multitude of people add to the wealth.
The is truly a garden of Eden
Full of priceless treasures, many still hidden.
Feathery ferns, bright orchids, bamboos tall
Where rhinos roam and Hoolock Gibbons call.
Vibrant mosaic of languages and faces
Music, dance and feasts of many races.
Himalaya
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Experience it, share it, enjoy it!
Ganga
Biodiversity Biodiversity
See it, smell it, taste it, feel it!
North East
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Appreciate it, exchange it, use it!
deserts
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Treasure it, enjoy it, study it!
Western Ghats,
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Learn from it, weave with it, heal with it.
Deccan
Discover that are dry but alive
Their dwellers have special tricks to survive
Store water, shed leaves or burrow in the sand.
Why, even tigers and lions roar in this land
To the lakes come birds, many more than you think
Cranes, pelicans, geese and flamingos pink.
Walk through the and do it all
Climb hills, sail rivers, gasp at a thundering waterfall.
Meet a Tahr, a Toda, and a Tiger too
Jumbos in jungles, and a hornbill or two!
Colourful frogs that croak and call
Snakes and snails that slither and crawl.
The has on offer all of the best
Highlands and grasslands, plateau and forest.
Trees, flowers, bamboo and grasses many more
Buffaloes, cows, goats, and sheep galore.
Celebrate the seeds and cereals upon which we feast
With Gonds, Bhils and Warli, and their dancing feet.
Take a walk along a sandy
Dive into the to further explore.
Meet clown fish and anemone in a coral jungle
Crabs, crocs and tigers in the mangrove tangle.
Sail to the in waters blue and green
See a megapode, a monitor, a nicobar pigeon preen.
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Plant it, grow it, cook it, eat it!
shore
sea
islands,
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Track it, live with it, delight in it!
Biodiversity Biodiversity
It's all about Life and Variety.
Biodiversity Biodiversity
Celebrate it, protect it, conserve it!
- Mamata Pandya
CEE
Biodiversity ki rail gaadiBiodiversity ki rail gaadiBiodiversity ki rail gaadiBiodiversity ki rail gaadi
f g
Biodiversity
Our Heritage, Our Wealth, Our Responsibility
“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and
improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers
and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”
Article 51 A
The Constitution of India
BIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITY
h
1
BIODIVERSITY
Think ! Without Variety There Would Be No Life
BIO = LIFE
DIVERSITY = VARIETY
What Exactly is Biodiversity?
l the variety among life forms
l describes not only the number but also types and variety of l i v ing
things
Biodiversity is usually described at 3 levels: genetic, species,
communities and ecosystems.
1. genetic (the variety of genetic information within a species), e.g.
all humans are one species but no two humans are genetically
identical.
2. species (the variety of species), e.g. horses, tigers, rice, mango,
are all different species.
3. communities and ecosystems (complexes of species and their
physical environments); a small area may hold more diversity
than a large one.
India is home to over 7% of the world's Animal Diversity
More than 91, 200 animal species
The country
l harbours 8% of the world's biodiversity on just 2% of the Earth's
surface.
l includes wettest to driest regions of earth, cold to hot extremes.
l has 16 major forest types. The total forest cover of the country is
over 23% of its geographical area.
l is one of the 17 mega-diversity countries in the world.
l has two global biodiversity hotspots (Eastern Himalaya, Western
Ghats).
l is one of the eight centres of origin and diversity of crop plants.
l represents two realms, five biomes, ten biogeographic zones.
India: One of the richest countries in the world! Why?
32
India harbours 11% of the world's plant diversity.
There is a great variety among domesticated animals, too!
What Do these have in Common?
India has over 45,500 plant species.
These include:
l Angiosperms 17,527 species
l Gymnosperms 67 species
l Pteridophytes 1200 species
l Bryophytes 2500 species
l Algae 7175 species
11, 058 species of plants are endemic to India.
In addition, there are 14500 species of fungi and 2233 species of
lichens.
l All the world's buffalo breeds are found in India.
l All poultry breeds of India have descended from one wild
ancestor–Red Junglefowl.
l All cow breeds of India have descended from one Indian
ancestor–Zebu. The Zebu motif is found on seals of the Indus
Valley civilization.
Law’s Balsam Gharial
Wild Ass Blackbuck
Andaman Day Gecko Balloon Frog
Spiny-tailed Lizard Nilgiri Laughing Thrush
Malabar Whistling Thrush Konkan Pinda
They are all Endemic to India!
Endemic species are species occurring in only specific areas or
regions and found nowhere else in the world.
Look at the amazing endemism in India
9% of India's fish species, 61% of amphibians, 47% of reptiles, 14%
of birds, and 9% of mammals are endemic.
Rice: 50,000 varieties
Mango: 1,000 varieties
Sorghum: 5,000 varieties
Pepper: 500 varieties!!
l India is one of the 8 centres of origin of cultivated plants in the
world. Over 166 species of crops originated here.
l Home to 320 species of wild relatives of cultivated crops.
l 8000 species of medicinal plants find use in 50,000 herbal
formulations – a major source of livelihood for millions.
l Special Medicinal Plants Conservation Areas (MPCAs) have been
established in several states.
Cow: 30 breeds Cow: 30 breeds
Camel: 8 breeds Camel: 8 breeds
Asiatic LionAsiatic Lion
54
Black PaperBlack Paper
MangoMango
As you go through this book you will learn more about these
zones.
Why are we cutting the branch we are sitting on?
Need, greed and ignorance
l Degradation and loss of habitats due to some development
compulsions.
l Over-exploitation, over-consumption, unregulated trade, poaching.
l Introduction of exotic and invasive species like Lantana, Parthenium,
Prosopis.
l Pollution.
l Effects of climate change.
l Some unsound agricultural and forestry practices like excessive use
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, hybrid crops and monoculture.
l Implementation difficulties with regard to legal provisions and
conservation programmes.
l Systems and policies dictated by need for rapid economic
development.
l Unsustainable use of natural resources.
l Lack of awareness and loss of traditional knowledge.
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In Which Biogeographic Zones are these found?
India has ten biogeographic zones. Some species are found in only one of these, and that too in a specific location. Others are more widely spread. Do you know where these are found? Press the button to find out!
Himalaya
Western Ghats
Gangetic Plains
North-East
Deccan Peninsula
Trans-Himalaya
Semi-Arid
Deserts
Coasts
Islands
Islands
A3
Why Are We Losing Biodiversity?
Disappearing Species
“51 per cent of known reptiles, 52 per cent of known insects, and 73
per cent of known flowering plants are in danger along with many
mammals, birds and amphibians. It is likely that some species will
become extinct before they are even discovered, before any
medicinal use or other important features can be assessed.”
World Conservation Union
Species Under Threat
Going… Going…Gone….!!
One species becomes extinct from this planet every 20
minutes.
The rate of extinction before the arrival of humans was no
more than approximately one species per year.
Vulnerable: a species which is likely to become Endangered in the near
future, unless the circumstances threatening its survival improve.
Endangered: a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming
extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing
environmental or predation parameters.
Critically Endangered: means that a species has declined or will
decline, by 80% in numbers within three generations. This is the
highest risk category assigned for a wild species.
Crises!!
Why is Biodiversity Important?
l Pollinator decline due to pesticides and habitat loss has been
affecting crop production worldwide!
l Poisoning by the veterinary drug Diclofenac has caused a 92%
decline in vulture populations across India!
l Interbreeding of wild varieties of crops or native cattle breeds with
hybrids leads to genetic loss
l Ecosystem and ecological values: Biodiversity provides us
food security, water recharge, climate regulation, and many other
services for human survival.
l Economic and scientific values: food, medicine, fibre, energy,
etc. For example, over 25% of all drugs come from p lan t s ; the
Indian Systems of Medicine use nearly 8000 wild species.
l Scientific: huge potential for scientific study. A very small fraction
of diversity mapped or studied, or even known. A number of species
are being lost even before they are known to science.
l Cultural and aesthetic values: deeply ingrained in our culture,
rituals, festivals, music and arts. Communities across the country
have traditional practices linked to the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity, and reflecting respect for nature.
l Basis for recreation, education: We enjoy being out in nature;
humans have learned a lot from other species and natural
phenomena, and biodiversity is still providing us with answers to
many of our unsolved questions.Lion-tailed Macaque
(Endangered)Lion-tailed Macaque
(Endangered)
98
India has some more specially designated conservation areas:
UNESCO-Designated Sites:
Species Conservation Initiatives of Government of India
Tiger Reserves: 41 sanctuaries and national parks are specially
protected under National Tiger Conservation Authority (previously
Project Tiger).
Elephant Reserves: 25 Elephant Reserves under Project Elephant.
Ramsar Sites: Under the Ramsar Convention (an international treaty
for protecting wetland habitats) 25 areas have been identified.
Important Bird Areas: There are 465 sites of importance as crucial
bird habitats, identified in collaboration with Bird Life International.
UNESCO Natural Heritage Site: these are clearly defined natural
sites of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science,
conservation (of threatened species) or natural beauty. India has 5
such sites: Kaziranga NP, Keoladeo NP, Manas WLS, Nanda Devi and
Valley of Flowers NP, and Sundarbans NP.
Biosphere Reserves: Special sites for natural and cultural
landscapes extending over large area of land or water/sea
ecosystems, or a combination of these. India currently has 17 BRs.
Project Tiger
Project Tiger Scheme has been under implementation since 1973.
The main objective of Project Tiger is to ensure a viable population of
tiger in India. 41 Tiger Reserves are specially protected under the
National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Protected Areas (for In-situ conservation)
Protected Area Network
A Protected Area is a clearly defined geographic space,
recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other
effective means, to achieve long-term conservation of nature
with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.
Several categories of Protected Areas exist in India.
National Park (NP): A tract of land declared the nation's property
by the Central Government, with a view to preservation of natural
and cultural heritage, and where human pressures (hunting,
fishing, extraction, residences, commercial activities) are not
allowed.
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS): An area designated usually by a State
Government, where like in a National Park, it is illegal to interfere in
anyway with the natural life there. Hunting and fishing are prohibited;
some activities allowed with special permits.
Community Reserves: These areas are being protected through
the joint efforts of local communities and State Governments.
National Parks 102 39888.11 1.21
Wildlife Sanctuaries 515 119930.50 3.65
Conservation Reserves 47 1160 0.04
Community Reserves 4 20.69 < 0.01
Total Protected Areas 665 160999.3 4.9
Categories Number Area (sq. km) % coverage
1110
Project Snow Leopard
Project Snow Leopard is designed for all biologically important
habitats within the snow leopard's range. The project is operational in
five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Project Elephant
Project Elephant was launched in 1992. The objectives are to protect
elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of man-
animal conflict, and welfare of domesticated elephants. There are 25
Elephant Reserves under Project Elephant.
There are also several other programmes for the conservation of
different species. These include: One Horned Rhinoceros Conservation
programme, Ganges River Dolphin Conservation Plan, Pygmy Hog
Conservation Programme, Gharial Recovery Action Plan, Action Plan for
Vulture Conservation. In addition, the zoos and botanical gardens play
an important role in ex-situ species conservation.
Includes maintaining genetic germplasm in seed banks, zoos,
captive breeding sites, gene banks, primarily outside the
natural habitats of a species.
Plants
l Green channel projects in Botanic Garden of Indian Republic
(BGIR) for endangered plant species
l Lead Garden project for ex-situ conservation of endemic plants in
each phyto-geographic zone
ex-situ Conservation
Animals
l Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to secure better management of zoos
l National facility “Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered
Species – LaCONES” for conservation of endange red an ima l
species like tiger, lion, blackbuck, vulture, etc.
l Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres
l Conservation of traditional farming practices, wisdom, rites,
rituals.
“The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the
environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the
country.”
Article 48 A The Constitution of India
Some National Laws and Regulations:
l Indian Forest Act 1927
l Wild Life Protection Act 1972
l Forest Conservation Act 1980
l Maritime Zones Acts
l Environmental Protection Act 1986
l Fisheries Act 1897 & 1984
l Biodiversity Act 2002
Policy and Legal Framework
Red Panda conservationRed Panda conservation
OrchidariumOrchidarium
1312
International Conventions and Treaties
A number of countries reach multi-party agreements to work
together, to implement rules, to address common issues.
They all stand to benefit from such cooperation, as quite often
answers to local problems may lie in resources elsewhere,
often trans-boundary. India is party to several Conventions
and Treaties.
l Ramsar Convention (on Wetlands of International Importance)
–signed 1971
l World Heritage Convention – since 1972: Biodiversity needs to be
seen as global heritage-India ratified it in 1977
l Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
of Wild Flora & Fauna – India ratified it in 1976
l Bonn Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)-
India ratified it in 1979
l Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - signed during 1992 Rio
UNCED
l UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
l UN Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD)
Other international agreements include:
- UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD)
- International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources (ITPGR)
- UN Convention on Law of the Seas (UNCLOS)
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The CBD is an international treaty to sustain the rich diversity of life
on Earth. There is a growing recognition that biodiversity is a global
asset of tremendous value to present and future generations, and
essential for economic and social development. At the same time, the
threat to species and ecosystems has never been so great as it is
today. Species extinction caused by human activities continues at an
alarming rate.
The Convention was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the UN
Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio "Earth
Summit"). It entered into force on 29 December 1993, and has 193
Parties including 168 signatory countries.
The CBD was inspired by the world community's growing commitment
to sustainable development. It represents a step forward in the
conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, the
fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic
resources, and support to innovation by local people. A number of
Protocols, Goals and Targets have been adopted and named after the
cities where the different meetings were held.
The Cartagena Protocol aims at reducing the potential adverse effects
of biotechnology on biodiversity.
The Nagoya Protocol provides a framework for the fair and equitable
sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its following Aichi
Targets represent the world's commitment to reduce biodiversity
loss:
A. Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by
mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society
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B. Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote
sustainable use
C. Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems,
species and genetic diversity
D. Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem
services
E. Enhance implementation through participatory planning,
knowledge management and capacity building
Challenges
l How to ensure sustainable use of biological resources (using
biodiversity without leading to its long-term decline)?
l How to ensure equity in conservation and use, specially for the
underprivileged?
Meeting the Challenges
Government of India is doing this through a number of strategies,
both in situ (within the natural habitats) and ex situ (in special sites
such as zoos, seed banks, even labs). The Ministry of Environment &
Forests, and a number of organizations and bodies are engaged in
biodiversity conservation, research, education and awareness.
Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)
Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
Central Zoo Authority (CZA)
Centres of Excellence (COEs)
Protecting Biodiversity
Fishery Survey of India (FSI)
Forest Survey of India (FSI)
Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and
Development (GBPIHED)
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM)
National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB)
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR)
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)
National Institute of Animal Welfare (NIAW)
National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
National Zoological Park (NZP)
Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON)
Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
India is perhaps as rich in its initiatives to conserve biodiversity as its
biodiversity itself. Local, state, national initiatives by Government,
NGOs, and communities themselves are all working towards
conserving this magnificent heritage. Only a few examples are
mentioned for each of the biogeographic zones.
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Microbes
Lactobacillus
Rhizobium
Blue mold
Wild Yeast
(Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus)
Do you know who makes yummy dahi and paneer, who keeps your gut healthy and drives away nasty bugs? It's me, it's me!! Longy Lacto, say all doctors .
(Rhizobium leguminosarum)
Although I live in a rented house – root nodules of leguminous plants, I pay substantial rent by fixing nitrogen, the building blocks of proteins for the landlord and all the land. I'm Ready Rhizo.
(Penicillium notatum)
They say I spoil food, I say I'm the great composter. I also manufacture antibiotic Penicillin which is used as an important medicine in many diseases. I'm the Bold Blue Mold.
I get under the urad dal's skin and secretly make the idli batter rise. People think I am pungent but I give plenty of B vitamins. I am the Wily Wild Yeast.
(Saccharomyces paradoxus)
Bacteriophage T4
Spirogyra
E-coli
Mucor
(Captain Phago)
We may be 100 times smaller than a bacterium but we give the power to the Ganga. We are the magicians with a wand that injects toxins into bad bugs and make them vanish to restore rivers to pristinity.
(Spirogyra hyalina)
I am the cheerful green hero who floats happily by in fresh water lakes and ponds. I love to hog sunlight, trap carbon and drive away climate
stchange blues. I am the Sunny Spiro, the 21 century hero. Without me there'll be great harm since earth will become very very warm.
(Escherichia coli K-12)
I am the king of the gut. I grow so fast that I make all nasty bugs out-cast. I am not 'all mass and no substance', I make a very important vitamin - K2 without which you feel weak and have no resistance. I'm the great King Coli.
(Rhizomucor pusillus)
Although I look fluffy, I am not a 'delicate darling'. I can break down hard stuff like wood and cardboard. With waste mountains eclipsing our towns and cities you just can't do without me, what a pity! I am the Mighty Mucor, your source of the new fuel 'ethanol' in cars. You'll have a rough ride without me.
1918
Abode of Snow
Unique Vital Fragile
The Trans-Himalaya and the Himalaya together occupy nearly 11 per cent of India's total land surface.
The high altitude landscape comprises varied ecosystems and harbours rich biodiversity.
This region is also one of the most important, fragile and threatened life-support systems on the earth.
The areas set aside for protection and conservation in the Region include:
l 20 National Parks
l 74 Wildlife Sanctuaries
l 5 Biosphere Reserves
l 36 Conservation Reserves
l 5 Snow Leopard Conservation Landscapes
Where the Himalaya stands today was
once the Tethys Sea 70 million years
ago. The collision of the Indo-
Australian and Eurasian tectonic
plates led to a rise of land mass,
converting the sea into high
mountains. The tectonic plates are
still moving, making this region
vulnerable to natural hazards
Did You Know?
Trans-Himalaya
Himalaya
TRANS-HIMALAYAAND HIMALAYATRANS-HIMALAYAAND HIMALAYA
TRANS-HIMALAYAAND HIMALAYATRANS-HIMALAYAAND HIMALAYA
21
20
Trans-Himalaya
Frozen Desert
Trans-Himalaya is the northern-most area of India.
It falls in the rain shadow regions immediately north of the Himalaya. This includes the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh, some parts of Garhwal, Uttarakhand, and a small part of Sikkim.
It is the only region in the world where both desert and arctic conditions are found, marked by scanty rainfall, high radiation and intense cold. The temperature drops to as low as −50 degree C in some places.
Snow-clad peaks, seasonal marshlands and high-altitude lakes are characteristic features.
The seemingly inhospitable terrain has given rise to a variety of flora.The plant growth season is only two to three months.
Marmots, Wooly hare, Tibetan antelope, Tibetan sheep, Bharal, Wild yak, Wild ass, Wolf, Snow leopard, Black-necked crane and Bar-headed goose are some characteristic animals of this region, which are highly adapted to the harsh conditions.
This region forms the catchment of three major rivers--Indus with its major tributaries, Zanskar and Shayok; Chenab, and Sutluj – each with its tributaries.
There are two National Parks, three Wildlife Sanctuaries and one Biosphere Reserve in this region.
Where high Himalayan mountains block rain clouds lie the cold deserts.
l These regions are marked by severe, arid climatic conditions.
l The annual precipitation is between 500 and 1000 mm, mainly in winter. The main source of water is snow melt.
l Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir is the largest cold desert in India covering 80 per cent of the trans-Himalayan tract.
l Other cold deserts include Lahaul Spiti, parts of Kinnaur and Pangi area in Himachal Pradesh, very small pockets of Niti, Malari, Mana and the Nelang regions in Garhwal, Uttarakhand and the Tso Lhamu Gurudogmar plateau of Sikkim.
l Seasonal migration by Bakarwal, Gujjar and Gaddi herdsmen and nomadism followed by the Changpa tribe are important practices in cold deserts.
l The Snow Leopard is the top predator found in cold deserts.
Cold deserts have remarkable ecological and biological diversity.
l There are a variety of habitat types across various altitude levels, and hence a diversity of ecosystems.
l The predominantly herbaceous and grassy vegetation is highly diverse and supports many rare and endemic species, indigenous varieties and breeds.
l Animals of economic importance include pashmina (changra) goats, changthangi sheep, yaks, chumurti horses, donkeys, and double-humped camels.
l Animals have adapted to the extreme and difficult climatic conditions.
Bare but not Barren
Sea BuckthornSea Buckthorn
Double-humped CamelDouble-humped Camel
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Major biodiversity conservation areas in the Trans-Himalaya are:
l Hemis High Altitude National Park, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)
l Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, J&K
l Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, J&K
l Pin Valley National Park, Himachal Pradesh (HP)
l Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, HP
l Sechu Tuan Nala, HP
High Altitude Wetlands (HAWs) are unique water bodies found at altitudes of over 3000 m.
l They comprise lakes, marshes, peat lands, wet grasslands, streams and rivers. Often fed by glaciers or snow from the surrounding mountains, the water bodies remain largely frozen during the winter months.
l There are over 500 HAWs in central and western Himalaya alone. They are home to several endemic species of birds, animals and medicinal plants.
l Pasturelands around the wetlands provide grazing grounds for livestock.
l They are of immense livelihood, cultural and spiritual significance for local communities.
l These wetlands are crucial for biodiversity, sustainable economic growth, control over climate and river flow, hydropower generation, transport, irrigation and fisheries.
When It Thaws, Sparkle The HAW s
Himalayan GriffonHimalayan Griffon
Common PochardCommon Pochard
Barheaded GeeseBarheaded Geese Yellowbilled Magpie Yellowbilled Magpie
Pintail DuckPintail Duck
Tufted DuckTufted Duck
Welcome to Winged Visitors
Himalaya
The Indian Himalaya is a popular destination for migratory birds.
l Birds migrate for various reasons such as availability of food and water, safe nesting and breeding locations, climatic conditions and protection.
l The migratory birds face several threats: habitat loss; destruction of breeding and nesting sites; unsustainable tourism; hunting; air and water pollution, as well as weak trans-boundary conservation efforts.
Saving Wetlands Sky-High!
This is a regional initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to mobilise governments, communities and local stakeholders towards conservation of the Himalayan High Altitude Wetlands which are beyond national and political boundaries.
The initiative includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and China.
The Indian Himalayan Region occupies a special place in the mountain ecosystems of the world.
The Himalaya stretches in an arc over 2,500 km from Nanga Parbat in the West to Namche Barwa in the East.
This expanse has a great variation in biodiversity as well as topography.
The Shivalik ranges, or the foothills, are uplifted glacial debris.
2524
Middle Himalaya reaches altitudes up to 3,000 m in the form of undulating hills, cut by flowing torrents and rivers.
The Greater Himalaya range consists mainly of sedimentary rocks with patches of igneous (solidified from lava) rock formations. Most of this area is covered with huge glaciers and peaks, with a few semi-arid and occasional arid valleys.
Across the Greater Himalaya is the region referred to as Trans-Himalaya.
The Himalaya forms the watershed for most of the rivers flowing in northern India, sustaining the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.
The high ranges of the Himalaya stop the northward movement of monsoon clouds that bring rain to the Indian sub-continent.
The diverse terrains and altitude gradients harbour a rich variety of flora, fauna which show several behavioural and physiological adaptations. There is also a great deal of cultural and ethnic diversity.
There is great variety in forests in this region. Forest types are determined by rainfall regime, altitude and latitude.
Major forest types
Thorn scrub, desert steppe: Trans-Himalayas
Montane grasslands, shrublands, alpine shrubs, meadows: Greater Himalayas
Temperate broadleaved and mixed forests: Lesser Himalayas
Sub-tropical pine forests, sub-tropical broadleaved forests, scrubby forests: Shiwaliks
Grasslands, savannas, deciduous and evergreen forests: Bhabar-Terai Tract
Forests: From Peaks to Plains
A Profusion of Plants
At Home in the Himalaya
The region supports nearly 50% of the total flowering plants of India.
l Represents 18,440 species of plants, (all the plant groups), of which about 4,665 endemic species are represented.
l Over 1,700 species of medicinal and aromatic plants provide livelihood, healthcare and food for millions.
l Endemic species such as Himalayan May Apple and Himalayan Yew are said to have anti-cancer properties.
l About 155 sacred plants including deodar, rudraksha, brahmakamal, bhojpatra and pipal are found here.
l 87 species of Rhododendron and 26 species of Oak grow in the forests.
The himalayan mountain system is recognized as a centre of origin and evolution of many living forms.
l Is home to almost 300 species of mammals, of which 12 are endemic, including Kashmir Markhor, Kashmir Red Deer, or Hangul, Himalayan Tahr.
l About 1000 out of the 1300 bird species of India occur in the Himalaya, including 31 endemic species. A majority of these breed in the region.
l Harbours the largest diversity of domestic and wild relatives of sheep, goats and equids (hoofed animals such as horses).
l Today, several of these are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
Greater HimalayaGreater Himalaya
BrahmakamalBrahmakamal
Blue SheepBlue Sheep
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Hop, Fly, Swim in the Himalaya
Under Threat
Valley of Flowers
The Himalayan mountain system is recognized as a centre of origin and evolution of many living forms.
l Over 925 out of the 1501 species of Indian butterflies are found in Western and North Western Himalaya.
l Nearly 175 species of reptiles have been documented, of which nearly 50 are endemic.
l Of around 105 species of amphibians, over 40 are endemic. Two species of caecilians (legless, tailless tropical amphibians) are found here.
l Fish species from three major drainage systems, the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, inhabit the Himalaya. 30 of nearly 270 species are endemic.
Threats to Himalayan and Trans-Himalayan fauna include habitat loss and degradation, poaching, wildlife trade, logging, over-fishing, pollution, human-animal conflict, climate change and unsustainable harvesting for firewood, food, fodder and timber.
The Valley of Flowers is renowned for its meadows of rare, native and endemic alpine flowers, and outstanding natural beauty. Located in Uttarakhand Himalaya, this valley, together with Nanda Devi Park, has been designated as Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Over 55 per cent of the species in the Reserve are native to Himalaya, over 10 are endemic and 225 are near endemic.The Biosphere Reserve was
declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme in 2004.
Despite large tracts being remote, harsh, and inaccessible for most part of the year, new floral species are constantly being discovered in the region. Its rich biodiversity is yet to be entirely documented. Several of the species were identified by scientists of Botanical Survey of India.
The new discoveries have not yet been given common names.
Since time immemorial local people have used forests and pastures in this region for multiple uses and values.
Pastoralists migrate from lower reaches to alpine pastures every summer along with herds of goat and sheep.
Livestock rearing has been the backbone of the local economy.
Mountain people rely heavily on natural resources and make optimum use of nature's bounty. Products or by-products are never wasted and thus, various livelihood activities emerge from one another.
While agriculture and animal husbandry are the primary occupations, various non farm-based livelihood practices include:
l Tourism and pilgrimage-related services – tour guide, porters, religious services, trekking, mountaineering, summer and winter sports etc.
l Collection of non-timber forest produce (fodder, medicinal plants)
New Discoveries
Mountains and People
Banded bent-toed geckoBanded bent-toed gecko
Silene gangotrianaSilene gangotriana
Impatiens devendrae Impatiens devendrae
Snow Leopard (EN)Snow Leopard (EN)
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LIVESTOCK AND LIVELIHOOD
BARAHNAJA
Livestock rearing is an integral part of livelihood in rural areas.
l Livestock provide draught power, manure, wool and food.
l Ownership of cattle ensures economic stability and sustainable farming.
l In spite of hardships of high altitudes, there is presence of different breeds of sheep, goats, horses, yaks, mules, pigs and poultry in this region.
l Nomadic pastoralism is a common practice of some mountain tribes.
l Threats to domestic animals include shrinkage of grazing pastures, shortened grazing periods, inadequate fodder growth, shortage of water, poor health of animals due to changing temperatures and parasitic infections.
An age old agricultural practice of intercropping of twelve or more compatible mix of crops using native, indigenous seeds.
l A community of cereals, lentils, vegetables, creepers, and root vegetables grown together on the same terraced fields in the kharif or monsoon season.
l This helps maintain ecological balance, protects farmers from losses due to crop failures, enhances food and nutritional security, and provides good quality fodder for domestic animals.
l Apiculture, mushroom cultivation, poly greenhouse cultivation
l Handicrafts and handloom such as wooden furniture, baskets, rattan / bamboo products, ropes, garments, carpets, souvenirs etc.
Environmental, biological and socio-cultural diversity of the Himalaya has resulted in unique traditional varieties of crops, livestock, and agro-pastoral practices.
Some traditional agricultural practices:
l Mixed cropping
l Agro-forestry
l Rotational cropping
l Crop sowing prioritization (sowing crops in a certain sequence)
l Seed selection (collecting seeds from different villages every 3-4 years to avoid in-breeding)
l Root spreading (digging soil to facilitate horizontal spread of roots)
l Apricot grafting (grafting sweet apricot on bitter, wild apricot)
l Better soil fertility with animal bones.
Agricultural patterns in the Himalaya differ according to geographic zones. Western Himalaya, a region of low rainfall, heavy snowfall and temperate conditions, grows mainly cereals and fruits. Eastern Himalaya with high rainfall is a major producer of potato, oilseeds, sugarcane, millet, pulses and vegetables.
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
AgroforestryAgroforestry
Finger MilletFinger Millet
Foxtail Millet :A rare indigenous crop
in Kedarnath Valley
Foxtail Millet :A rare indigenous crop
in Kedarnath Valley
Common MilletCommon Millet AmaranthAmaranth
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l This system of bio-farming is scientific, sustainable, replicable and highly beneficial to the rural farmer.
l Traditionally practised in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, this dying practice is being revived by Vijay Jardhari, a farmer and one of the founders of the Beej Bachao Andolan.
Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas (MPCA)
The collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) from the wild, as well as their cultivation, provide livelihood and health care to a majority of rural India.
l Over-exploitation and habitat degradation are threats to MAPs.
l Some of the MAPs have been categorized as Globally Significant Medicinal Plants (GSMP).
l For the protection, conservation, cultivation and regeneration of MAPs and GSMPs in their natural habitats, a network of natural sites or forests have been set up as MPCAs.
l The network of MPCAs represents the diversity of forest types.
l MPCAs are managed by local communities and forest departments.
l Sustainable harvesting is promoted from adjoining areas of MPCAs.
l MPCAs offer protection to species that are in high demand and at risk of becoming extinct.
l PCAs help in preserving germplasm of important plants.
SAVING THE SANJEEVANI
Saving Monarch of the Mountain
The snow leopard inhabits 1.5 lakh sq km of the Greater and Trans- Himalayan regions of J&K, HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Being a top predator, this medium-sized cat is an ideal flagship for conservation efforts in the cold, dry, non-forested high altitude regions of the Himalaya. Only 3500-7000 snow leopards are left in the wild.
This endangered animal is a Schedule I animal. It is also protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora) that disallows any international trade in snow leopard or its parts.
Many organisations such as Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are working to conserve the
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Snow Leopard and its habitat. The Hemis High Altitude National Park is working to reduce retribution killings and providing alternative incomes. NCF and SLT have helped set up livestock insurance programmes and community-managed reserves in Spiti and Ladakh.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), GoI with SLT-NCF, inaugurated a flagship programme in 2009 called 'Project Snow Leopard' (PSL). It stresses on: identification and zonation of large landscapes that have conservation value; identification of threats; innovative approaches to conservation; participation of other institutions.
The PSL encourages the use of alternative energy sources, environmental education, and eco-friendly cultivation practices.
Advanced tools have also been introduced to accurately measure the number of snow leopards in India.
Today, there are 400-700 snow leopards left in India, and over 30 PAs that cover their range.
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
GoI's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) has enunciated the launch of a National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem. The mission attempts to address some important issues concerning biodiversity conservation and protection; and wild life conservation and protection in the context of the traditional knowledge societies and their livelihoods. It recognizes the importance of scientific and technological inputs and planning for sustaining of the Himalayan Ecosystem which is vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts and consequences of climate change and anthropogenic activities.
Coping with Change in the Himalaya
The Himalayan ecosystem, one of the most fragile ecosystems of the world, is faced with many natural changes, as well as challenges of developmental process, deforestation and land use changes. These changes are severely affecting livelihoods of millions of people, including indigenous communities who reside in the mountains and valleys of the region and whose livelihoods and culture are closely linked to the mountain ecosystems.
Climate change is having a critical impact on this region, as a result of which conventional ecosystem services are being adversely impacted. Reduced food productivity and water availability, loss of flood regulation, increased cases of natural disasters are all examples reflecting the loss of ecosystem services.
Unpredictable variations in temperature and rainfall patterns, affecting stream flow, inappropriate moisture conditions for crops, lowered agricultural productivity and diversity, and reduced for animals are some of the impacts of climate change.
Himalayan glaciers are the primary source of water to several perennial rivers, and also have profound effect on both the regional and global climate. The retreating of the glaciers is leading to glacial lake outburst floods in the mountains, and floods and drought in the plains.
The communities in these regions are some of the most susceptible to even a slight change in temperature and precipitation. Minimum temperatures are projected to rise by 1
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to 4.5 degree C, and the maximum temperatures may rise by 0.5 to 2.5 degree C.
Existing and detailed knowledge on the vulnerability of the region to impacts of climate change is still limited. Absence of information calls for an urgent need to initiate efforts to generate information to respond and adapt to the current and future consequences on the natural resource base and climate change in the region.
IUCN, in collaboration with Nokia, is working to encourage an integrated multi-stakeholder approach for developing sustainable and effective adaptive strategies to cope with climate change in the Himalayan region. A priority of the project is to document and disseminate best practices related to water management and climate change adaptation in the Indian Himalaya, and presenting improved water management regimes from the perspective of indigenous systems, the work of government, civil society and community-based organizations.
In order to increase the resilience of the Himalayan ecosystem and reduce the vulnerability of the local communities it is essential to develop guidelines that can ensure sustainable management of the natural resources. This is possible through implementing the best practices for sustainable development and improving the existing governance structure as well as strengthening the local institutions and participatory planning. Equally important is the development of a strategic, integrated approach for addressing the issues of biodiversity conservation and improvement of livelihoods in the context of climate change, that ultimately ensures the well-being of the people in the Himalayan region including their social, economic and cultural aspects.
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Lifeline for Millions
India's Largest River Basin
l The Gangetic Plain refers to the floodplains of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. The soil of this region is formed by the fertile alluvial deposits of the Ganga and its tributaries.
l The rivers and wetlands are important habitats for migratory waterfowl. They also support Crocodiles, Gharials, the Ganges River Dolphin, and more than 15 species of freshwater turtles.
l Most natural vegetation and wildlife is found in the north bordering Shivalik hills and in adjacent Bhabar and Terai tracts. The vegetation is typically tropical, moist and dry deciduous.
l The important Protected Areas in this region are Dudhwa, Valmiki, Buxa and Sundarbans. The approximate population of tigers in these areas was estimated to be 274 in 2010.
The Ganga is India's 'National River'.
The Ganga basin is a network of river Ganga and its tributaries – some of them are the Yamuna, Ramganga, Gomati, Ghaghra, Gandak, Kosi, Son. The major part of the Ganga basin falls in the Gangetic Plain area.
THEGANGETIC PLAINTHEGANGETIC PLAIN
THEGANGETIC PLAINTHEGANGETIC PLAIN
39
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The basin is home to rich natural vegetation, considerable endemic flora, and supports a large number of wildlife species.
River Ganga is considered to be one of the most sacred rivers, and is recognized as the country's valuable heritage.
Industrial and domestic waste water, agricultural runoff, some developmental projects, disturbance on the river catchment area, contribute to make the Ganga river basin highly polluted in the Gangetic Plain.
The Gangetic Plain comprises a variety of habitat types.
These include floodplains dominated by agriculture; marshy grasslands in the Terai, and forests along the northern fringes.
Each habitat has typical vegetation.
Forests: Sal (Shorea robusta), Bahera (Terminalia belerica), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Gular (Ficus glomerata), Semal (Salmalia malabarica), Khair (Acacia catechu) are characteristic tree species.
Grasslands: Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus), Kans (Saccharum spontaneum), Munj (Saccharum munja), Narkul (Phragmites karka), Pater (Typha angustata) are typical grasses of this region.
Wetlands: Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), Trapa (Trapa natans), Water lily (Nymphaea sp.) are some of the common aquatic plants.
Canebrakes: Cane or Bent (Calamus tenuis).
Mangroves: Rhizophora sp. Found mainly in the Sundarbans.
Rivers: Aquatic plants.
Forests to Farmlands
Farm lands: Paddy, Wheat, Maize, Pulses are some of the major crops grown here.
A tree that can be as tall as a ten storey building!
Sal (Shorea robusta) is a large, deciduous tree which is native to the Indian subcontinent. This moderate to slow growing tree can attain a height of 30 to 35 m and girth of up to 1.5-2 m. Its wood was widely used for making railway sleepers by the British.
The trees shed their leaves in February-March, this is followed by flowering. The small off-white flowers fill the forest with fragrance. The fruits are food for many animals during the dry summer months.
Sal is the dominant forest type mainly distributed in the Terai region of the Gangetic Plain. Periodic infestation by Sal borer affects Sal forests.
Freshwater turtles are of two types depending on the shell, which is either a soft shell or a hard shell.
Turtle populations in this area have declined drastically during the last few decades. The freshwater habitats of turtles are under constant threat due to sand mining, agriculture practices on the river banks, discharge of pollutants etc.
Turtles are also poached for food and medicinal purposes. This is currently the most serious threat.
The loss of turtle eggs due to predation by domestic and wild animals, as well as humans, is another factor responsible for the decline in the population of turtles.
Sal
Freshwater Turtles
Some turtles are very important for
aquatic ecosystems as they act as
natural scavengers by eating dead
and dying aquatic animals.
Did You Know?
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Herbs for Health
When you think of health, think of plants.
Different parts of plants provide raw material for use in several indigenous systems of medicine in India–Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and home remedies. Many modern medicines contain plant derivatives as well.
Tulsi leaf juice is useful for treating gastric disorders, bronchitis and skin diseases.
Bel fruit destroys intestinal worms, stops nausea and vomiting and purifies blood.
Brahmi is used to treat rheumatism, mental disorders, constipation and bronchitis.
The gum of Palash, or Dhak, is beneficial in the treatment of diarrhoea. The seeds are beneficial in the treatment of skin diseases.
Amla is a rich source of vitamin C, and it is prescribed in jaundice, hemorrhage etc.
Neem is used as an insecticide. Extracts are used in hair oils, toothpastes and mosquito repellants.
Arjun leaf juice helps to cure dysentery and ear ache, and maintains cholesterol levels.
Ashwagandha improves memory and concentration. It is a powerful antioxidant and boosts the immune system.
Aloe vera helps in healing small cuts, insect stings, wounds etc. It is widely used in cosmetics industry.
A Bounty of Crops
Phal, Phool, Sabzi
Put water and the right type of soil together, and Nature gives you a bounty of crops.
The mainly alluvial type of soil and annual rainfall ranging from 1000 to 2000 mm support the cultivation of a variety of crops in the Gangetic Plain, including rice, wheat, lentils, pulses, maize and sugarcane.
Not just once but thrice!
There are three major cropping seasons:
1. Rabi (October - February): Wheat and Mustard
2. Kharif (June - October): Rice
3. Jayad (February - June): Maize, Udad and Moong
Kalanamak Rice
Kalanamak is one of the finest quality, scented rice varieties of India. It derives its name from its black husk. Kala means black, and namak means salt.
It is believed that this variety has been in cultivation since about 560 BC. Kalanamak was grown widely in Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh. Farmers have been using their own Kalanamak rice seeds since ages.
This variety of rice is now threatened due to poor yield, decline in grain quality, non-availability of quality seeds, and lack of research support.
Vegetables and fruits play a major role in Indian agriculture by providing food, nutrition and economic security.
Horticulture is the science of cultivation of fruit (phal), vegetable (sabzi) and flower (phool) crops.
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MangoMango
Aloe VeraAloe Vera
42
Vegetables
The Gangetic Plain ranks first in vegetable production in India. Major vegetables produced are potato, tomato, peas, sweet potato, cucurbits, cauliflower and cabbage. This region is the largest producer of tomato and cauliflower in the country.
The Indian Institute of Vegetable Research is in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Fruits
Mango: Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh is world famous for the popular Dussehri Aam.
Litchi: Muzaffarpur in Bihar is famous for the production of the Shahi Litchi.
Guava: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal are main guava producing states. Safeda guava of Allahabad is famous.
Banana: Hajipur in Bihar is famous for the production of the best quality of banana.
Betel Leaf : The Gangetic Plains are one of the largest producers of Betel leaf, or paan. 66 per cent production of paan is contributed by West Bengal alone.
Home to innumerable birds and plants, the wetlands also support lakhs of humans.
IUCN's Important Bird Areas (IBA) are areas recognized as being globally important habitats for the conservation of bird populations.
The Wetlands
Some of the IBAs in this region:
Uttar Pradesh: Patna Jheel, Etawah; Shiekha Jheel, Aligarh; Lakhbahosi, Farrukhabad; Saman, Mainpuri; Sandi, Hardoi
Bihar: Kanvar Lake Bird Sanctuary, Begusarai; Gogabil Bird Sanctuary, Katihar; Nagi Dam and Nakti Dam, Jamui; Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary, Bhagalpur.
West Bengal: Kulik Bird Sanctuary, Raiganj; Sundarbans, 24 Paraganas.
Ramsar Sites: The Gangetic Plain has two Ramsar Sites, wetlands of International Importance designated under the Ramsar Convention.
Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) Uttar Pradesh
East Kolkata Wetlands, West Bengal
Long-haul flight from Siberia to India over the Himalaya. No Passport Required! The wetlands are favourite wintering grounds of the migratory birds from Siberia.
Some Migratory and Resident Birds.
1. Spotbilled Duck 2. Pintail
3. Shoveller 4. Ruddy Shelduck
5. Lesser Whistling Teal 6. Common Coot
7. Comb Duck 8. Rosy Pelican
9. Purple Heron 10. Pheasanttailed Jacana
11.Bronzewinged Jacana 12. Sarus Crane
13.Barheaded Goose
Wetland Birds
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VegetablesVegetables
LitchiLitchi
The gharial is endemic to the Indian subcontinent, occurring in the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Mahanadi river systems. Once found abundantly, it is believed that the gharial is possibly extinct from Myanmar, Bhutan and Pakistan. Bangladesh and Nepal has remnant populations. It is estimated that less than 250 'mature individuals' exist in the wild. Thus, gharial is globally 'Critically endangered'.
In India the major breeding populations are found in Chambal and the Girwa rivers; Chambal holds 85% of the entire gharial population.
Habitat destruction, prey population depletion, pollution, siltation and poaching are some of the main threats to this crocodilian.
River conservation and various protection measures can help to save this unique species which is also referred to as the 'River Guardian'.
Snout: Snout is the elongated, beak-like mouth found in dolphins. A mature female has a longer snout the male. Snout contains the teeth that are homodont.
Melon: The head contains a bulging structure, called the melon. It is an important part for acoustic function and helps in echolocation .
Blow hole: The blow hole is the organ responsible for breathing in dolphin. It is seen as a muscular flap on the dorsal side of the head.
Tail Fluke: Dolphin uses its fluke for propulsion through water. One of the important characteristics of dolphin propulsion is that they produce movement from both up and down stroke of their fluke.
Flippers: Flippers are the modified forelimbs. These help in swimming.
What Makes a Dolphin ?
The wetlands provide feeding and breeding habitats for the Sarus Crane, which is the tallest flying bird in the world.
Ramsar Convention has defined wetlands as "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters".
The Gangetic Plain is home to five species of deer.
Swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli), Sambar (Rusa unicolor), Spotted deer, or Chital (Axis axis), Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Hog deer (Axis porcinus).
All the five species of deer are found in the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh.
Crocodile, alligator and gharial are collectively called crocodilians. They all share some common features–a long, toothy snout, a compressed powerful tail and a tough leathery hide.
The Gangetic Plain is the home of the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a specialized river-dwelling fish eater. It lives in deep fast-flowing rivers and feeds mainly on fish.
The Gharial gets its name from its long and narrow snout which ends in a tip with a bulbous pot (ghara).
Deer
Gharial: Croc with a Pot!
Deer are different from antelopes.
Deer
l have antlers (only males)
l shed and re-grow their antlers
periodically. The newly-grown
antlers are encased in thick soft
skin called 'velvet'.
Antelopes
l have horns (both male and female)
l horns are permanent and without
branches.
Did You Know?
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Swamp deerSwamp deer
GharialGharial
Religious practices and periodic events such as melas on riverbanks
also add to the problem. Several aquatic species such as Ganges
River Dolphin, turtles, gharials, and otters, are facing threat of
extinction due to river pollution.
Dams and Barrages: Dams, barrages, and irrigation projects are
changing the courses and water levels of the rivers. Many former
habitats of gharial, Ganges River Dolphin and other species have now
become inhospitable for these species, especially during the dry
season.
Sand Mining: Sand mining is one of the major threats to
biodiversity in the Gangetic Plain. Despite enforcement of laws,
illegal sand extraction continues along the riverbanks of the Ganga
and its tributaries. Large-scale sand mining destroys the sandy
banks required by gharials, turtles, and some birds for nesting and
basking.
Out of the 3,54,848 sq km area of the Gangetic Plain 7,807.7 sq km comes under Protected Areas (PAs). The Gangetic Plain covers 10.8 per cent of the total landmass of India.
Protected Areas - 52
Area under National Parks – 2,363 sq km
Area under Wild Life Sanctuaries – 5,444.7 sq km
National Parks – 7 (Uttar Pradesh-1, Bihar-1, West Bengal-5)
Tiger Reserves – 4 (Uttar Pradesh-1, Bihar-1, West Bengal-2)
Wild Life Sanctuaries – 44 (Uttar Pradesh-17, Bihar-12, West Bengal-15)
Biosphere Reserves – 1 (West Bengal-1)
Protected Areas
Increasing Pressure
Threats to Biodiversity
Some losses of biodiversity are irreversible and are a threat to our own well-being.
Human activities are placing severe pressure on biological resources, and increasingly leading to fragmentation and degradation of habitats, and resultant loss of biodiversity.
Deforestation: Rapidly growing population generates pressure on forest resources to meet the demand for fuelwood, fodder, timber, etc. Spread of human habitations and some development activities are leading to forest cutting and clearing. This leads to siltation of rivers, soil erosion, loss of species, and human-animal conflict.
Alien Invasive and Exotic Species: Introduction of non-native species, deliberately or accidentally, has been a major threat. These species have often flourished at the cost of the local native species. Some prominent weeds are Lantana, Water Hyacinth and Parthenium.
Poaching and Illegal Trade for animal-based products is one of the major threats to the wild animals.
Many species of turtles, migratory birds, and fishes are now on the verge of extinction due to this.
Use of Pesticides: Extensive use of pesticides in agriculture not only kills the pests, but also adversely affects diversity of useful insects and birds. The agricultural runoff which flows into the rivers adds to river pollution.
Pollution: Release of untreated industrial and domestic waste into
the rivers of the region is leading to a high level of water pollution.
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DeforestationDeforestation Dams and BarragesDams and Barrages
Ramsar Sites (Wetlands of International Importance) – 2 (Upper
Ganga River, Brijghat to Narora stretch, Uttar Pradesh; East Kolkata
Wetlands, West Bengal)
The Park area of 884 sq km represents the best natural Sal
forest left in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, as well as
extensive tracts of moist grasslands.
Sal, Asna, Bahera, Haldu, Rohini, Semal, Khair are the predominant
tree species.
Dudhwa is perhaps the last stronghold of the wild fauna of the Gangetic
Plain. Several endangered and important species are found here.
It is home to sizeable populations of Tiger and Leopard. Some critically
endangered species like the Bengal Florican and the Hispid Hare are
also found here.
Once distributed across the floodplains of Indus, Ganges and
Brahmaputra, the one-horned rhino now occurs only in a few pockets
in terai of Nepal and West Bengal, and Brahmaputra valley in Assam.
Rhinos are reported to have occurred in Dudhwa in the 19th century.
Since it offered the required swampy habitat under the protection of a
national park, rhinos were successfully reintroduced in the park
through a programme initiated in 1984.
Dudhwa is the only National Park of Uttar Pradesh, located in the
Lakhimpur Kheri district of the state.
Dudhwa National Park
National Chambal Sanctuary
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary
Supports the largest population of Gharial in the world and over 320 species of resident and migratory birds.
This sanctuary, along approximately 425 km length of the Chambal river, borders three states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Out of the 24 species of freshwater turtles found in India at least 8 rare species, including critically endangered red-crowned roofed turtle, are found here.
Together with the endangered Ganges River Dolphin, these are the flagship species of the Sanctuary.
This Sanctuary is listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and is also a proposed Ramsar Site.
The only protected area in the world established for the conservation of the Gangetic Dolphin.
The River Ganges Dolphin is an endangered freshwater mammal species endemic to the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems in India.
The Sanctuary is situated in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar. It supports a relatively high density of dolphins.
The Sanctuary also supports a rich diversity of other wildlife species, many of which are threatened with extinction. These species include the gharial, Indian smooth-coated otter, several species of hard- and soft-shell turtles, and an astounding variety of migratory and resident birds including 135 species of water fowl.
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TigerTiger
Marsh CrocodileMarsh Crocodile
GharialGharial
Chambal RiverChambal River
Back From the Brink
The Rhino Re-introduction Programme, initiated to re-establish the Indian rhino in the Dudhwa National Park, is perhaps one of the most successful conservation programmes in India. With an initial six reintroduced individuals brought from Assam, and with two additional supplements from Nepal, the population of the Rhino in Dudhwa has gone up to 30 individuals.
The Sarus Crane is the State Bird of Uttar Pradesh.
The population of Sarus Crane has grown during the last decade through strong conservation efforts made by wildlife-related NGOs and Uttar Pradesh Forest Department. Furthermore, intervention made by the Allahabad High Court for conservation of wetlands in Etawah and Mainpuri helped in saving more than 3000 Sarus Cranes, which represent one third of the global population.
Gharial Conservation Programme was initiated for
conserving Gharial in National Chambal Sanctuary and
Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. More than 2500 juveniles were
released in early 1980s in river Chambal and Girwa and also in
other habitats like the Ramganga, Ghaghra and recently in the
Ganga at Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary. This effort has brought
the Gharial population back from the brink of extinction.
Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched in 1986 by the
Government of India with the main objective of pollution
abatement and improving the water quality, as well as
supporting research and development to conserve the biotic
diversity of the River Ganga.
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has developed the
Ganges River Dolphin Conservation Plan 2010-2020.
Joint Forest Management approach is adopted under the
Uttar Pradesh Participatory Forest Management and Poverty
Alleviation Project (UP-PFMPAP) by Uttar Pradesh Forest
Department. It aims at restoring degraded forests, augmenting
forest resources and improving livelihoods, thereby
empowering the local forest dependent communities.
Children's Forest Programme as part of UP-PFMPAP project is
being implemented in around 650 schools in 6 districts of UP. It
aims to create understanding among children about the value
of trees and to motivate and support them to plant saplings in
schools, thus ensuring their protection and creating mini-forest
in school campus.
Joining Hands
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Patna University, Vikramshila Biodiversity Conservation Education Centre, Bhagalpur, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) are among the several institutions doing conservation research on biodiversity of the region. Centre for Environment Education (CEE) with the support from MoEF has initiated a Ganges River Dolphin conservation education programme with more than 500 schools.
WWF India is implementing initiatives for biodiversity conservation throughout the Gangetic Plain with the focus on conservation research, education and awareness. Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) is working for conservation of freshwater turtles in the region.
Ecosystems for Life
The Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna, three major rivers, along with their tributaries, drain an area of about 1.75 million sq km and have direct impact on around 620 million people in India and Bangladesh. These great rivers are inseparable from the history and legends of the region, as well as from the people who depend on them for their well-being. Strategies to ensure the future well-being of the region are needed.
Ecosystems for Life: a Bangladesh-India Initiative is a civil society-led multi-stakeholder dialogue process to promote better understanding of the management of natural resources in Bangladesh and India. Ecosystems for Life works to develop a shared vision and understanding of food, livelihood and water security issues through collaborative research and studies; creation of a knowledge hub; development research-based policy options; and enhancing the capacity of civil society stakeholders to participate in the management of natural resources.
Ecosystems for Life is being implemented in Bangladesh and India by IUCN Country Offices and managed by the IUCN Asia Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Land of the Rising Sun in India
North East India comprises eight states nestled in the
Eastern Himalayas, North Eastern Hills and Assam Plains.
This region marks the confluence of Indo-Malayan, Indian, Indo-
Chinese, Indo-Burmese & Indo-Japanese bio-geographical elements.
The altitude ranges from 200 m to 8600 m.
The climate varies from near tropical to near alpine. The greater part of
the region has, however, subtropical climate characterized by high
humidity, and moderate temperature.
The annual precipitation ranges from 1637 mm to 6317 mm. The
world's wettest place, Mawsynram (11,872 mm annual rainfall) is
located in this zone.
The region has an uneven topography with undulating mountains. The
major peaks include Kanchendzonga (the highest mountain peak in
India and third highest in the world (8585 m), Tawang, Zafu etc.
Amidst the hills, lie more than two lakh hectare of wetlands, which
harbour a wide range of aquatic flora and fauna. Assam alone has
more than 3500 wetlands (>50 ha).
The North East is called 'the land of the
rising sun in India', because the sun
rises first in India in Dong, a village in
easternmost Arunachal Pradesh.
Did You Know?
NORTH EAST INDIANORTH EAST INDIANORTH EAST INDIANORTH EAST INDIA
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The major wetlands of the region include three Ramsar Sites
(wetlands of international importance), namely Loktak, Deepor beel
and Rudrasagar.
The major rivers of North East include the Brahmaputra, Barak,
Teesta and their tributaries.
The North East has among the highest ethnic, bio-cultural and linguistic diversity in India.
The region is home to more than 220 tribes with more than 1000 languages and dialects. They include Indo-Mongoloid, Tibeto-Burman and Proto-Australoid races.
A great variety of chilli is grown in North East India.
This includes popular varieties like King Chilli (Bhut Jolokia), Dhan Jolokia, Khud Jolokia, Krishna Jolokia etc.
King chilli belongs to genus Capsicum which includes more than 25 species.
Add “C” to Health
More than 17 species of citrus and their 52 cultivars have been reported from this region. As many as 32 strains of lemon alone are available in North East region
l North East India is believed to be the Center of Origin of citrus
l King Chilli is believed to be one of the hottest chilli in the world
Many Faces, Many Tongues
Hot Hotter Hottest
Rice: The Staple Food
Magnificent Mammals
The North East region, with 6 distinct agro-climatic zones, is very rich in indigenous rice varieties including a number of aromatic varieties.
Depending on the season, place and system of agriculture, rice varieties grown in the region can be classified into 6 major groups:
Ahu (autumn rice) Sali (winter rice)
Boro (spring/summer rice) Asra (shallow water rice)
Bao (deep water/floating rice) Hill rice.
Royal Bengal Tiger
The 5 Tiger Reserves in the region are home for over 150 tigers.
329 species of mammals are distributed over a wide range of habitats from mountain peaks to floodplain wetlands in North East India.
One-horned Rhino
Kaziranga National Park alone is home to 2290 rhinos out of 2505 found in the region. The rhino population is confined to riverine grasslands of the Himalayas only.
Asian Elephant
The second largest elephant population (more than 9000) in the country is found in the region.
There are 8 Elephant Reserves and 58 elephant corridors.
Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in
Meghalaya is the country's first
protected area for Citrus
Did You Know?
One-horned RhinoOne-horned Rhino
The largest population of the Wild
Water Buffalo, in the world, is found in
the region.
Did You Know?
Royal Bengal TigerRoyal Bengal Tiger
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White Backed VultureWhite Backed Vulture
A Paradise of Birds
Creatures Big and Small
A Plenitude of Plants
Some of the rarest birds of the world like Greater Adjutant Stork, Bengal Florican, Green Peafowl and Bugun Liocichla are found in North East.
3 species – Manipur Bush Quail, Marsh Babbler and Black Breasted Parrot bill – are endemic to the Assam plains. North East is also home to several species of critically endangered vultures.
Apart from the resident species, during the winter, a wide number of migratory birds like the Bar Headed Goose visit this region from Siberia and Mongolia. This region is a part of the migration route – Central Asian flyway.
l 44 Lizard species reported out of 201 species found in India
l 102 Snakes species out of the 275 identified from India.
l 21 tortoises and freshwater turtles species found out of 29 species known to occur in the country. North East is a 'Hotspot' of tortoises and freshwater turtles within India.
l 105 Amphibian species out of 286 reported from India.
l 267 Fresh Water Fish species have been reported.
l 3624 Insect species have been reported.
The region accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the total number of plant species in India. Many of the flora found here are endemic to the region.
Out of about 1300 bird species
reported from India, North East is
home to about 900 species.
Did You Know?
Assamese Balloon Frog is
found only in Assam and
Arunachal Pradesh. It is
endemic to North East India.
6 species of pines out of 7 found in the world are found in North East.
Approximately 7500 species of flowering plants, 1000 species of non-
flowering plants are found here. 28 species are Gymnosperms (plants
whose seeds are not enclosed in an ovule, e.g. a pine cone).
97 ferns and 144 orchids are endemic to North East.
Many primitive plants like Tree fern, Magnolia, Ginkgo biloba are
found in the region.
Out of 124 types of forest in India 54 types of forests are represented
here.
Bamboo
North East India accounts for over 63 species of Bamboo classified
under 20 genera. This tall grass is an integral part of the culture and
day-to-day life of the people of this region, particularly those living in
the rural areas.
Himalayan ginseng (Panax pseudoginseng)
It has high medicinal properties–believed to be a stamina-boosting
plant as it contains sapogenins.
Taxus wallichiana
An important gymnosperm which yields a valuable anti-cancer
compound called taxol.
It gets its name Hoolock from the howling sound that it makes.
Gibbons are apes.
Wave to our Close Relative! The Hoolock Gibbon
The Giant or King Fern (Angiopteris
evecta) is one of the largest ferns
on earth. This rare and endangered
fern species is found in Arunachal
Pradesh. It is used by the local
people as a substitute for staple
food during food shortage.
Did You Know?
Spot Billed DuckSpot Billed Duck
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Look at the Pictures.
l What is the most prominent feature of the face?
l How are they different?
The male is black. The female is brown.
l Notice the arms and legs.
The arms of the Hoolock Gibbon are normally double the length of
its legs.
Bihu: Farming Festivals
Three bihus are celebrated in Assam.
Rogali the spring festival is celebrated in April for preparation of
farming activity.
Kongali is for worshipping the gods for a prosperous yield. The
lighting of lamps around paddy fields helps to control pests.
Bhogali is a post harvest festival.
The traditional dishes for the festival feasts are made from a variety of
cereals and seasonal vegetables.
Hornbill Festival: Unity in Diversity
This most important festival of Nagaland is named after the bird
Hornbill (Dhanesh). The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the
rich culture of Nagaland and display its traditions. The festival
signifies unity in diversity.
Jon Beel Mela: Conserving the Wetland
Jon Beel Mela is a century-old festival of Assam. The three-day mela
held in the second or third week of Magh is known for the Gobha Haat.
Celebrating Biodiversity
This is the only fair of North East India where the barter system still
exists. Before the mela, an Agni Puja, or fire worship, is performed for
the well-being of mankind. The mela has great significance for the
conservation of Jon Beel wetland.
Sacred groves are tracts of virgin forest with rich diversity. They have
been protected by the local people for centuries because of the
cultural taboos and beliefs that the deities reside in these and protect
the villagers from calamities.
Several plants and animals that are threatened in other forests are
still well conserved in some of the sacred groves. The sacred identity
of these forest tracts plays a significant role in promoting sustainable
utilization and conservation of flora and fauna of the region.
Sacred groves demonstrate an inextricable link between present
society and the past in terms of biodiversity, cultural, religious and
ethnic heritage. The sacred groves, managed by the Lamas, and the
Mompa tribe in Arunachal Pradesh are known as Gompa forest area.
Gompa means Monastery.
Going Going ...
Human activities are posing a serious threat to the biodiversity of the
region.
Developmental projects:
Construction of hydro power dams, roads, railways, industries,
townships etc., though inevitable, are leading to loss of forests and
posing threat to the wildlife in these habitats.
Sacred Groves
15 out of 31 known species of
primates found in India are reported
from the North East.
Did You Know?
Hoolock GibbonHoolock Gibbon
Jon Beel Melagoods for exchange
Jon Beel Melagoods for exchange
Bihu DanceBihu Dance
Did You Know?
Why are they poached?
Rhino for its horn
Elephant for its tusks
Tiger for its skin and bones
Snake for the skin
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Poaching
Rhino, Tiger, Elephant and Snakes are some of the prime targets of
poachers. This region is on the route of the illegal international trade
of wild animals to South East Asia.
Encroachment
Forests and wetlands are being encroached upon by people for agricultural practices and settlement. This is a major cause of habitat loss for wildlife.
25 per cent of the birds, mammals, reptiles and other vertebrates found here are endemic (not found anywhere else in the world) to the region.
North East India is also home to some of the flora and fauna which are found only in a few other places on the globe.
Special Places for Special Species
Did You Know?
Two Biodiversity Hotspots–Indo
Burman and Himalayan–are found
here.
Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes khasiana) is
a carnivorous plant found only in the
Khasi hills of Meghalaya.
Golden Langur is named for its golden
coloured fur. It is restricted to the
western part of Assam.
Pygmy Hog is found only in Assam.
These are among the smallest pigs in
the world.
Orange bellied Capped Langur is an
endemic langur of North East India.
The largest population of Greater
Adjutant Stork is found in Assam
Community Conservation Initiatives
Adding Value to Grasses
Broom grass
(Thysanolaema maxima) is an important Non Timber Forest Produce of Tripura. Traditionally the broom grass was collected and sold as raw grass through MARKFED, a state level public sector undertaking.
In 2011, under the Tripura JICA Project, the Government of Tripura, launched a pilot project to involve 500 households of 14 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) in harvesting, processing, and value addition of this important NTFP. Some portion of the grass was sold as raw grass, and some portion was used by the members of the JFMCs for making brooms, i.e. value addition. The project yielded a harvest of 522 MT worth Rs 3 crore. Through this initiative the members of the JFMCs got the financial benefit directly without any intervention of middlemen. The project was extended in 9 Ranges in the next harvesting season.
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Working Together to Conserve Biodiversity
Recovery Activities in Manas–A World Heritage Site
Manas National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park was tagged as “in danger” after serious wildlife depletion due to political unrest. The Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) developed a recovery plan for the site. Activities like translocation of hand raised calves of rhinos and elephants were taken up. Initiatives like Rhino Vision 2020 and Project Tiger have immensely helped in the recovery of the Manas National Park. Active NGOs of the area including WWF-India, Aaranyak, WTI, Ecosystems India, Manas Maozigendri Eco- tourism Society, CEE, Green Manas, Natures' Foster, have helped the Forest Department in implementing the recovery plan and raising public awareness. This collective effort has succeeded in the removal of the “in danger” tag from Manas National Park.
Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme was started in 1995 to revive populations of the Pygmy Hog through conservation breeding. Captive bred populations are being acclimatized and released into Nameri, Sonai-Rupai and Orang protected areas. Many international and national organizations including the State Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Ecosystems India are involved in the project.
Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation
The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation is the
A Fragrant Business
Tripura supplies approximately 25,000 MT of raw bamboo sticks that account for 60 per cent of the total raw sticks requirement for incense stick production in the country. Tripura JICA Project launched 'Incense Stick Making' as a sustainable income generating activity for the members of the 130 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC). Following the training, most of the members started this activity, and through this value addition, have been able to supplement their household income by Rs 2000/- to 2,500/-per month. About 1.5 lakh artisans are engaged in value addition of bamboo in the state.
Khonoma
Khonoma is the first village in Nagaland to impose a ban on logging and hunting in community forests. The conservation effort was initiated by the local community. The village started the ban on logging in 1996. Subsequently, demarcation of the area as a sanctuary was envisioned, and as a result in December 1998, Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary was established.
Centre for Environment Education (CEE) provided support to build capacity of the village council in the context of biodiversity conservation. Organizations like Kalpavriksh and others also extended support. Implementation of conservation and eco-tourism initiatives was taken up by Khonoma village council. The council has 3-4 representatives from each khel and 3 women members. The village now has a better forest cover, increased animal population and has become an eco-tourism destination for a number of tourists.
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first rescue and rehabilitation centre near a protected area in India. CWRC was established in August 2002 near the Kaziranga National Park with the primary aim to stabilize displaced animals and release them back into the wild. This is a joint venture of Wildlife Trust of India–International Fund for Animal Welfare, and Assam Forest Department. This is one of the most successful rescue and rehabilitation centres with more than 83 per cent successful rescues.
Indian Rhino Vision 2020
IUCN Species Survival Commission's Asian Rhino Specialist Group is helping to rehabilitate a once dwindling population of the magnificent Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros. In order to reduce the risks to the Indian rhino population by overcrowding, disasters and disease, The Indian Rhino Vision - 2020 aims to ensure that rhinos are evenly distributed throughout their home range. Translocations are the driving force in the successful comeback of the Greater One-horned Indian Rhino.
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Around The Aravalli
The Indian Desert
This includes the arid zone west of Aravalli ranges, comprising the
Little and Greater Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat, and the Thar Desert in
Rajasthan.
This area is characterized by extreme climate: annual temperature
ranging from near freezing in the winters to over 50 degree C in
summers and scanty annual rainfall in the range of 100-150 mm.
The Thar Desert is a sandy desert. The Kachchh Desert is a marshy
desert. It is characterized by seasonal water-logging.
The Semi-Arid Zone
This includes the area between the Desert and the Deccan plateau,
including the Aravalli hill range.
Annual rainfall is between 400 and 1000 mm. Semi-Arid regions are
transition zones between arid and sub-humid belts.
Protecting the Biodiversity
l The Kachchh Biosphere Reserve covering a total area of 12,454
sq km aims to protect the unique desert ecosystem.
Aridity, or (lack of ) moisture and not
the temperature is what defines
deserts. There can be deserts which
are snow covered!
Did You Know?
THE INDIAN DESERTTHE SEMI-ARID ZONETHE INDIAN DESERTTHE SEMI-ARID ZONE
THE INDIAN DESERTTHE SEMI-ARID ZONETHE INDIAN DESERTTHE SEMI-ARID ZONE
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The Indian DesertThe Semi-arid Zone
l 5 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 1 National Park help to conserve biodiversity of the Indian Desert.
l 81 Sanctuaries and 10 National Parks aim to conserve the biodiversity of the semi-arid zone.
There are 6 Ramsar Sites (wetlands of international importance) in these regions. These are Harike lake, Kanjli and Ropar wetland in Punjab, Keoladeo National Park and Sambhar lake in Rajasthan, and Bhoj wetland in Madhya Pradesh.
l The only region in the world which is home to 3 big cats -- the Asiatic lion, tiger and leopard. The magnificent Asiatic lion is found in its natural state only in the scrub forests of Gir in Gujarat.
l Porbandar Gecko (Hemidactylus porbandarensis), a new species of lizard found from the region recently, is believed to be unique to this region.
l The world famous bird sanctuary Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur is one of the five World Natural Heritage sites of India.
l It is home to 1200 species of animals and 682 species of flowering plants!
l Flamingo City' in the Rann of Kachchh is amongst the few places in the world, where flamingos congregate in such large numbers to breed.
l It has the largest grasslands area in India, the Banni Grasslands.
l The little Rann of Kachchh is the only natural home of the Asiatic Wild Ass.
The Semi-Arid Zone: What Is Special?
Is The Indian Desert a Dead Zone?Asiatic LionAsiatic Lion
Great Indian BustardGreat Indian Bustard
PelicanPelican
Asiatic Wild AssAsiatic Wild Ass
Wetlands in the Drylands
Deserts Are More Than Sand
l There are more than 25,000 human-made and natural wetlands in the Deserts and Semi-Arid Zone. These attract a large number of birds, both migratory and resident.
l 'City of Lakes' – Udaipur is situated in the drylands of Rajasthan!
l The rivers Sutlej, Beas, Luni, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum, Yamuna, Ghaggar, Chambal, Bandi, Arvari, Sabarmati, Aji, Bhadar, Mahi, Narmada, Banas are some of the major rivers of the Indian Desert and the Semi-Arid Zones.
AND THAT'S NOT ALL
Both these zones contribute a large share in India's food security. Together they support more than 30 per cent of the country's food grain and also milk production!
Deserts are sometimes wrongly perceived as the end result of land degradation or desertification!
In fact, a true desert is not the end result of desertification. It is in itself a unique natural ecosystem.
Deserts provide important life-support services to a number of life forms including human populations in much the same way as other ecosystems do.
The vegetation in these regions is mainly dry consisting of stunted,
thorny or prickly shrubs and perennial herbs which are mostly
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With adaptations for survival in
seasonal drought and heat, desert
plants would not be able to grow well
if the soil moisture and water
availability increases.
Did You Know?
Thar Desert harbours about 16
endemic plant species. Phog, Khejari,
Rohido are a few of them.
l Thar Desert is the most populated
desert in the world. It has a
population density of 83 persons
per sq km as compared to the
world average of 7!
l The cities of Bikaner, Jaisalmer
and Jodhpur are located within
the desert!
Did You Know?
Russell's Viper: The scaly waterproof skin, and the ability to recycle
a large portion of fluid from the urinary system help this snake in
reducing water loss.
Blackbuck: As the heat increases, the body temperature of this
antelope also rises. This way it sweats less, as sweating starts only
after the body temperature crosses 41 C. It can also obtain water by
burning fat tissue.
Lampro (Aristida adscensionis)
Aristida are an opportunistic species that flower in summer or spring.
In severe climatic conditions, these plants die back to the crown,
essentially reverting to a bunch-grass-like form; the massive roots
allow for rapid re-growth after rain.
Kikar (Acacia jaquemontii)
This rigid xerophytic (adapted to survive with little water) shrub has a
fast growing tap root. This enables it to utilize moisture stored in lower
soil layers to remain green into the dry seasons. The extensive root
system makes this plant ideal for dune stabilization and preventing soil
erosion.
Plants in the desert serve numerous ecological and economic
purposes.
Grasslands of the desert bind the fragile top layer, help to check wind
erosion and sustain livestock. Some of the typical and dominant grass
species are Sewan grass (Lasiurus sindicus), Dhaman (Cenchrus
ciliaris), Bharut (Cenchrus biflorus) and Lampro (Aristida
adscensionis).
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Plants of the Desert
drought resistant. There are open grasslands, too. Short-lived plants
cover the desert with a green carpet for a short period after rains.
Once upon a time…
The Thar Desert was a rich forest and Kachchh was sea!
The discovery of fossilized remains of dinosaurs and trees and
rich reserves of lignite and coal are proof of this.
The Indian Desert is the cradle of the Harappa and Mohenjodaro
civilizations! The excavations of remains of the ancient
settlements of Dhola-Vira from Kachchh indicate that this was
once an active port city.
Thar Desert is the eastern extension of the Persio-Arabian
desert that connects to the great Sahara desert. Complex
geological and climatic changes led to the creation of Thar,
probably more than 10,000 years ago!
Astonishing adaptations enable local species in a desert not only to
survive in minimal moisture, harsh sunlight and high temperature,
and high salinity, but even to thrive in these conditions.
Succulents such as cactii store water in fleshy leaves, stems or roots.
This helps them survive in water-scarce conditions.
Some Special Adaptations
Flamingo: A pair of salt glands just below its eyes secretes a solution
saltier than seawater. This helps flamingos to control the salt level in
their blood. The higher the salinity in the water in which they feed, the
bigger is the gland size!
Adapt or Perish
Russell's ViperRussell's Viper
BlackbuckBlackbuck
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Some Important Desert Plants
Lana (Haloxylon salicornium), Khari jar (Salvadora persica) and Mithi
jar (S. oleiodes), Acacia species, Rohida (Tecomella undulata),
Fafada Thor (Opuntia elatior), Aak (Calotropis procera).
Some Threatened Desert Plants
Paneer Bandh (Withania coagulans), Shrubby horsetail (Ephedra
foliata), Motio-Hiran Chobbo (Farsetia macrantha), Rato Jal Agio
(Ammannia desertorum).
Plants in desert have their own unique place in the web of life.
There are birds and animals that depend on a particular
vegetation for their different needs.
The critically endangered Great Indian Bustard prefers to breed in
open grasslands with scattered low scrubs.
Larva of the Blue Spotted Arab, a butterfly restricted to northwest
region in India, can feed only on Salvadora persica and S. oleoides.
A number of water bodies and marshes in the desert harbour
characteristic aquatic species such as Lemna paucicostata, Najas
graminea, N. welwitschii, Potamogeton crispus, P. pectinatus,
Spirodela polyrrhiza.
Web of Life
To Conserve and Protect
Harike Lake
A Wildlife Sanctuary and a Ramsar Site, this is an important wintering ground for migratory waterfowl. The wetland has rich floating vegetation. 33 islands are scattered across the lake.
During migratory season, the endangered White-headed Duck is found here. Lesser Adjutant, Painted and Black-necked Stork, species of ducks, eagles, and pallid harrier are seen here.
The critically endangered Oriental White-backed Vulture and Slender-billed Vulture are also seen here.
Kachchh Biosphere Reserve
It is an admixture of saline, marshy and coastal desert where water and soils are extremely saline.
Monsoon floods the entire low-lying areas. Then the scorching heat dries up the entire landscape into a flat barren land covered with crystals of salt.
A number of wetlands, green elevated patches known as beyt (island), grasslands and saline mud flats give Kachchh its unique biodiversity.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park
One of the most important waterfowl refuges of the world, a Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance) and a World Heritage Site, this Park is home to rich biological diversity. This is a human-made and managed wetland which was originally a natural depression. It is the wintering area for over 364 species of birds.
Herons, storks, common teal, species of ducks and sandpiper, white spoonbill, many species of eagle, partridge, quail etc. are found here.
Dalmatian pelicans, sociable lapwing, species of vulture are among the threatened birds found here.
Cyanophyceae and Rhodophyceae
class of algae and bacteria growing in
the lake impart a variety of striking
colours to the water, and support the
lake ecology that, in turn, sustains the
migrating wetland birds.
Did You Know?
AakCalotropis procera
AakCalotropis procera
Motha ChiyaCyperus rotundus
Motha ChiyaCyperus rotundus
Jungli BerZizyphus nummularia
Jungli BerZizyphus nummularia
White-breastedWaterhen
White-breastedWaterhen
Indian RollerIndian Roller
Black-winged StiltBlack-winged Stilt
The beautiful pink colour of the
flamingo is because of its highly
specialised diet consisting almost
entirely of blue-green algae such as
Spirulina spp., Oscillatoria spp., and
benthic diatoms found only in alkaline
lakes, salt pans and saline lagoons,
and estuaries.
Did You Know?
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The Semi-Arid Zone represents “Savannah” vegetation. Extensive grasslands rich in legumes and shrubs, deciduous forests, and thorn forests are dominant here. Littoral and swamp forests are seen near wetlands/water bodies.
The grasses are considered to be the most evolved species of plants. They are remarkable as they have short life cycle yet a long life i.e. take a short time from germination to reach maturity. Unlike trees, when cut, they sprout back almost instantaneously. They are capable of supporting or converting into incredibly huge amounts of biomass. They also support a rich and diverse variety of fauna. They are efficient in absorbing rain water and play a vital role in water retention and hydrology of an area.
- Task Force on Grasslands and Deserts
Grassland ecosystem in Semi-Arid Zone has its own unique place. Grasslands provide the ecological and economic base of this zone.
Heteropogon contortus, Aristida spp., Eragrostis spp., Chloris spp., and Aeluropus spp. are some of the common grasses of the zone.
Wetlands: Some of the species found are Lemna, Hydrilla, Vallisneria, Najas, Nymphaea, Potamogeton, and Wolffia.
Wildlife in the desert is as colourful and vibrant as in other zones.
Mammals like blackbuck, chinkara, gerbil, desert fox, caracal, wolf, bats etc. are seen here. Some of these desert animals are also seen in semi-arid areas.
The Most Evolved Plant Species
Desert Dwellers
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Besides the tiger, herbivores such as the spotted deer, sambar and blue bull are found here. Dhok is the dominant tree species. Boswellia serrata and Lannea coromandelica grow in rocky patches. Kattha and Bamboo are common in the valleys. Some valleys support Palash and Ber.
Dramatically changing with the changes in season, the forest here is typical dry deciduous. The terrain includes undulating plateau lands and wide valleys.
Sambhar Lake
This is one of the largest inland salt lakes and also a Ramsar Site. Along with Phulera and Didwana salt lakes, this salt lake forms a vast saline wetland, which constitutes the most important area for the flamingos outside the Rann of Kachchh. Pied tit, red shank, common sandpiper and pelicans are some other birds seen here.
Sambhar Lake is amongst the largest producers of salt in India.
Some Dominant Plants
Desi Babul (Acacia nilotica), Ronjh (A. leucophloea), Dhok (Anogeissus pendula), Wild Date Palm (Phoenix sylvestris), Palash (Butea monosperma), Salai guggal (Boswellia serrata), Godal (Lannea coromandelica), Mahua (Madhuca longifolia), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Pipal (Ficus religiosa), Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis).
Some Threatened Plants
Khadulia (Ceropegia odorata), Strobilanthes halbergii, Rohida, or Marwar Teak (Tecomella undulata), Gundi (Cordia crenata), Marwadi Gokharu (Tribulus rajasthanensis).
Plants of the Semi-Arid Zone
PalashButea monosperma
PalashButea monosperma
OrchidAerides crispum
OrchidAerides crispum
AmlaEmblica officinalis
AmlaEmblica officinalis
Desert FoxDesert Fox
Indian Long-earedHedgehog
Indian Long-earedHedgehog
ScorpionScorpion
Sand GrouseSand Grouse
Did You Know?
The area also has many varieties of
medicinal plants like Safed Musli
(Chlorophytum spp.), Brahmi (Bacopa
monnieri), Baheda (Terminalia
bellerica), Harad (Terminalia chebula)
and Amla (Emblica officinalis).
In the Little Rann of Kachchh, the Wild
Ass Sanctuary protects the endemic
and endangered Asiatic Wild Ass. In
the entire world, just around 4000
individuals of this subspecies are left
at this single location.
Did You Know?
Denizens of the DesertMore Than Just Thorns!
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Three out of the four bustard species
found in India are seen in the semi-
arid areas. They are the Great Indian
Bustard, Lesser Florican and Houbara
Bustard, all of which are threatened.
Did You Know?
Greater and lesser flamingos, dalmatian pelicans, sociable lapwing, houbara bustard and great Indian bustard are some of the globally threatened bird species found here. Green munia, white-naped tit, demoiselle crane are some other birds of arid areas.
Reptiles like monitor lizards, saw-scaled viper, red sand boa, and invertebrates like scorpion, spider, butterfly species such as White Arab and Plain Tiger are found in the Indian Desert.
Contrary to the common belief that big animals live only in thick forests, it is the open forests of the Semi-Arid Zone that are the habitat for several large animals such as the Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Nilgai, Chital and Sambar.
Grasslands and wetlands of the region are home to many species of migratory as well as resident birds. Species of crane, grey partridge, peafowl, owl, wagtails, ducks, vulture etc. are found here.
Harriers are widespread winter migrants to India. Grasslands of the Velavadar Blackbuck National Park are the Harriers' largest roosting ground in the world. They host the Montagu's, Pallid, Western Marsh and Hen Harriers.
This region is extremely fragile. Once disrupted, recovery is extremely slow or sometimes the loss is irreversible.
It takes ages for a plant to adapt and establish itself. Overexploitation of vegetative cover exposes the land, which induces desertification.
Special Places for Special Species
Fragile Like Glass
Home for a Host ofAnimals
Star TortoiseStar Tortoise
VultureVulture
Leopard Leopard
Invasive Aliens
The uncontrolled spread of an alien species poses an extreme threat
to local vegetation and wildlife. Prosopis juliflora, introduced to
combat desertification, now dominates the local plant varieties.
Asia's finest grassland 'Banni', in Kachchh, is getting
converted into a homogenous woodland due to the spread of
this species.
Water hyacinth, an aquatic exotic plant, is choking wetlands of the
region.
The grasslands are the 'common' lands of the community and are the
responsibility of none. They are the most productive ecosystems in the
subcontinent; they belong to all, but are controlled by none.
- Task Force on Grasslands and Deserts
The birds, Harriers are threatened due to the presence of
pesticide residues in their prey insects.
Intensive use of pesticides in modern agriculture is posing threats to
biodiversity.
In last decade, the population of 3 of India's common vulture species
has declined by 97 per cent. Investigations have identified the anti-
inflammatory drug Diclofenac, used to treat domestic livestock, as
the cause of mortality of vultures, as they feed on the carcasses of
these animals containing residues of the drug.
Electrocution
Large scale industrialization requires energy in the form of electricity.
But, the power supply lines sometimes lead to the death of birds. This
Poison, Power
OvergrazingOvergrazing
Limestone MiningLimestone Mining
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was the case in Gujarat where electrocution led to the death of
hundreds of flamingos.
How Do They Help?
Hump Fleshy pads
Stores fat for later use Store water
Long eye-lashes Waxy coating on the stem
Protect eyes from sand Prevents water loss
Voluntary closure of nostrils Green colour of stem
Protects from blowing sand Performs photosynthesis
Long legs Spines
Keep body away from hot ground Protect from grazing animals
Adaptation Features
Camel Cactus
Communities, Culture and Conservation
The livelihood, culture, and lifestyles of local communities
have evolved in tune with the biodiversity and natural
resources of the region.
Several tribes and communities like Bharwad, Raikas, Bishnois,
Aahirs, Gujjars, Banjaras, Nat, Bhils, Siddi, Meena etc. live in semi-
arid areas. These communities continue to live in close affinity with
their environment.
Maldharis are pastoralist communities. Their nomadic lifestyles rely
on natural resources. They have their own ethos that reflects their
respect for nature and importance of conservation. A Jat Maldhari
saying goes to the effect: never stop living in temporary homes you
build in the grassland as that ensures that you are always on the move
allowing the grassland to recuperate behind you. The day you build
permanent homes in grassland, remember the doomsday is close!
Pastoralists are traditional custodians of dryland biodiversity and
protectors of ecosystem services that are vital for global development.
Pastoral lands are threatened by development pressures and the
growing impacts of climate change. IUCN suggests that in this context
a strategy is needed to enable sustainable pastoralist development:
improving pastoralists' standard of living whilst protecting the
environmental services that their way of life provides.
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The Malwa Plateau is one of the prime locations for the cultivation and evolution of durum wheat.
'Bhalia' from the Bhal region in Gujarat is a rain-fed, hardy, high protein wheat variety with low water requirement. It has been registered for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Sanguineum desi cotton (G7), known for its drought tolerance and fibre quality, was used as a source in the development of the internationally known Bikanery Nerma cotton.
Livestock Diversity
These regions possess some of the best breeds of livestock of the world.
The famous cow breeds are Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Tharparkar, Harianvi, Kankrej, Malvi, Nagori, Mewati, Dangi.
Gir cows are high milk yielders. Sahiwal is the best Indian dairy breed. Rathi is resistant to adverse desert climatic conditions. Kankrej, Malvi, Nagori and Mewati breeds are excellent draught breeds for hot climate.
Banni buffalo has good adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and drought resistance. Mehsani and Jaffarabadi buffaloes are amongst the best milch breeds of buffalo in India.
Sirohi goat is used mainly for meat, while Surti is a good milk producer.
Kathiawari and Marwari horse are well known horse breeds across the world.
Sturdy, Hardy
The GI tag is a name, or sign, used on
certain products, which corresponds
to a specific geographical location or
origin (a town, region or country).
Did You Know?
Drop by Drop
Versatile and Varied
Water Harvesting: Traditional water harvesting structures such as Johads, Tankas, Khadins, step-wells or village ponds have enabled life to flourish in these water-scarce regions.
A Little Water Leads to a Lake
Meghoji, a common herdsman of Rajasthan, once happened to pour a little water left in his kuldi in a small pit and then covered the pit with aak leaves. After two days, when he removed the leaves, he could feel cool air rising from the moist pit. The word 'bhap' (Vapour) came to him. Realising the land's capacity to hold moisture he decided to build a lake there. He started his venture all by himself. Slowly others also joined him. Work continued for 12 years. Meghoji passed away but his wife continued his work. And in six months the lake was ready. It was named Lake Bhap which later became Bap Lake.
Arid and Semi-Arid Zones contribute 30 per cent of India's food grain!
Traditional dry-land farming practices -mixed cropping, traditional seed storage methods, composting and mulching- enhance communities' food security, and adaptive capacity to climate change.
Crop Diversity
Drought tolerant, heat resistant indigenous crop varieties from the region make up an extremely important genetic pool. Rich diversity occurs in millets, beans, grams, sesame, legumes and grasses. The local landraces of pearl millet are being used globally.
Kankrej BullockKankrej Bullock
Gir CowsGir Cows
Gir Kesar MangoGir Kesar Mango
SorghumSorghum
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Efforts to Conserve
Conservation values and practices are embedded in cultural, social and moral ethos of the local communities.
Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary is an open sanctuary established entirely on community-owned and private lands of 13 villages of the Bishnoi Community in Firozabad district of Punjab. The Bishnoi Community is known for its respect towards nature, and legendary love for animals, as a result of which the blackbuck population and other wildlife is flourishing here.
Bhairon Dev Lok Van Abhayaranya
The Bhaonta – Kolyala community of Rajasthan, with the support of Tarun Bharat Sangh, revived their traditional water harvesting structures known as Johads. This resulted in the revival of the river Aravari. They also set up self-imposed rules to conserve the degrading forest lands and, in 1998, declared the patch as a people's sanctuary.
Research and Conservation: Some Institutions
l Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur.
l Arid Zone Research Association of India, Jodhpur.
l Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur.
l Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner.
l Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar.
l Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal.
l Desert Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Jodhpur.
l Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar.
l Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj.
l National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner.
Learning from International Community
One of the major causes of bird mortality (especially for migratory species) is collision with and electrocution by power lines. Fitting the earth wire with markers in the form of brightly coloured 'aviation' balls; thickened wire coils; luminescent, shiny or hinged flashing or flapping devices have been shown to reduce bird collision frequency considerably, though the overall impact varies from species to species. In Georgia, USA, bright orange aviation balls fitted on the power lines have helped in reducing collision of wood storks into power lines.
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Efforts to Conserve
Government departments, research institutions and NGOs have joined hands to conserve some of the unique and characteristic species of this region.
Lion Conservation Programme
The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) was nearly extinct at the beginning of the 20th century with merely 50 individuals remaining in the wild in this single habitat of Gir in Gujarat. In 1965, the area was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary and the core area was declared as a National Park.
Gujarat Forest Department initiatives and support of the local people have made a tremendous positive impact on the lion's habitat. The number of lions increased from 50 in 1965 to 410 in 2011. Various other areas have also been declared as protected, as the lion's distribution range has expanded.
There is a strong cultural and emotional bond between lions and the local community. The strong government-people
partnership in the efforts to conserve the Asiatic lion of Gir is probably incomparable in the world.
Vulture Conservation
Owing to the rapid decline of the vulture population in India, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, GoI, initiated an Action Plan for Vulture Conservation, in 2006.
The Haryana Forest Department in collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society has established a Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre at Pinjore. At present the Centre houses 127 vultures. This is the largest collection of the three critically endangered species of vulture at one place anywhere in the world, and is recognized as the first centre of its kind in Asia.
Raising Awareness, Reducing Pressure
Involving local people in the protection and management of forest areas by effective decentralization, is the basic philosophy in the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aided project being implemented in the eastern tribal belt of Gujarat since 2007-08. The project implements forestry, conservation and income generation activities in an integrated manner to reduce dependence of rural poor on forests. As a result 40 per cent of the degraded lands have been converted into open forests. Grazing pressure and encroachment have been reduced.
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Western Ghats
Mountain chain that rises in Gujarat, ends more than a thousand km away at Kanyakumari.
The Western Ghats, or Sahyadris, are the ancient chain of mountain ranges that run from the southern border of Gujarat down to Kanyakumari, at 30 to 50 km inland along the west coast. More than 30 per cent of India's biodiversity is found here. The region harbours remarkable species diversity, of which around 332 are globally threatened species.
l The Western Ghats Hill Ranges run to a length of about 1600 Kms, interrupted only between Maharashtra and Karnataka by Goa Gap and near Palghat in the southern-most region by Palghat Gap.
l The average elevation of the mountain range is 1200 m, or 3900 ft. It has 15 peaks, and the highest peak is Anaimudi (elephant head) in Kerala (2695 m, or 8842 ft).
l The region is rich in natural resources including plant products (timber, fruits, herbal medicine), animal products (lacquer, honey), and mineral wealth (iron and manganese).
l It is home to a number of tribes who are the original inhabitants of the region.
WESTERN GHATSWESTERN GHATSWESTERN GHATSWESTERN GHATS
91
90
l The major rocks found here are basalt, laterite, granites and granite gneiss.
l There are more than 400 forts, of which around 300 are in northern region.
Increasing human pressures have resulted in the degradation of the region. Once a dense forest, only one third area now remains pristine.
The Western Ghats are identified as one of the world's 8 'Hottest Hotspots', which makes it a critical bio-geographical region for conservation.
Himalaya or Western Ghats?
It is believed that the Western Ghat ranges were in place even before peninsular India became part of the Asian mainland.
During the break up of the super continent Gondwana 150 million years ago, a large part split and moved northwards to collide with the Asian Mainland to become peninsular India. As it drifted over the localised volcanic centres of the earth, called the Reunion Hotspots, series of volcanic eruptions laid down the basaltic sheets or traps resulting in the elevation of its western part.
The faults (fractures) caused in the earth's crust during this process between 45 and 65 million years ago, gave rise to the present day hill chain of the Western Ghats.
The Western Ghat ranges thus are fault mountains or fault-block mountains due to the uplift along the faults of Deccan plateau. Hence the ranges have high summits, steep slopes, long cliffs, deep valleys and high potential for erosion.
Which is Older?
An Ancient Link
Studies of the species such as Myristica swamps purple frog in the
Western Ghats and Madagascar have shown interesting resemblances
providing evidence to the Gondwana split theory.
Striking similarities between some of the species of the Western Ghats
and the Himalayas such as Rhododendron tree, mountain goat, some
bird and fish species, indicate that the species distribution was once
continuous. Such resemblance also provide evidences of the
movement of the Indian land mass.
The mountain range is the major water source for 6 states for
agriculture and supply of domestic water to more than 245
million people.
The Western Ghats harvest the monsoon rains. The average rain here
is about 3000 mm to 4000 mm from the southwest monsoon.
Agumbe, in Karnataka receives an average rainfall of 7640 mm, the
second highest annual rainfall in India. It is one of the three major
watersheds of India. They feed perennial rivers.
The three major rivers – Krishna, Godavari, Kaveri – originate here and
flow east and join the Bay of Bengal. The Periyar and other smaller
rivers like the Sharavati and Mandovi that originate here drain west
into the Arabian sea.
The Western Ghats have been identified as one of the important
regions of freshwater biodiversity, with 288 species of fish.
There are more than 50 major dams. The Idukki dam built on Periyar
river in the Kerala region is the 14th biggest arch dam in Asia. It
supplies nearly 70 per cent of the power needs of the Kerala State.
Water Wealth
The Breakup of Pangaea
180 million years ago
Gondwanaland
Laurasia
What becameIndianPeninsula
The Breakup of Pangaea
65 million years ago
FutureAustralia
Future India
Elevation
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The Jog Falls, KarnatakaThe Jog Falls, Karnataka
The Jog falls in Karnataka is the second highest waterfall in South
Asia. The Sharavati river takes an 829 feet (253 m) plunge here,
making a visit to the Jog falls a lifetime experience.
So many plants and animals species exist nowhere else but
here.
The tropical and humid climate and varied topography of the Western
Ghats have given rise to different ecoregions and forest types which
support rich biodiversity here.
The biodiversity here has evolved and adapted with high
specialization. Many plant and animal species found here exist
nowhere else in the world. Hence, they are called endemic species.
Endemic Species of the Western Ghats
Teeming with Life
High level of endemism is a special feature ofthe Western Ghats.
Group Total species Endemic species % endemism
Angiosperms 4,000 1,500 38
Butterflies 334 37 11
Fishes 290 189 65
Amphibians 157 135 86
Reptiles 157 97 62
Birds 508 19 4
Mammals (2009) 140 18 12
One of the most primitive flowering
plants, the Myristicas had its origin in
the swamps of Gondwanaland, before
the Indian peninsula parted from it
over 150 million years ago.
Did You Know?
Podocarpus (Nageia) wallichianus, the only
gymnosperm tree that is endemic to the
southern region of the Ghats.
The Tree Fern (Cyathea nilgiriensis) grows
wild in the high altitude areas of the
southern region of the Ghats.
This native of the Western Ghats is a recent
discovery. This high-altitude wild ginger
(Amomum nilgiricum) is found only in the
evergreen forests of the Nilgiri Hills .
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A Biodiversity Hotspot
Magnificent Mammals
The Western Ghats are counted among the world's top eight 'Hottest Hotspots'.
The area is biologically rich and has high percentage of plants and animals which are endemic to the region, which means, they are found nowhere else in the world.
The region is threatened by human activities and has lost at least 70 percent of its original habitat, primarily the forest cover.
All these have made Western Ghats one of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots. significant for conservation.
Globally threatened species in the Western Ghats (at least 325)
A Heritage Site is an area of outstanding universal value, identified by the biological and cultural significance to be protected and conserved by the global community.
The Western Ghats have been nominated and are a strong candidate for becoming a World Heritage Site.
About 140 mammals have been identified in the Western Ghats, out of which 18 have made the Ghats their only home.
The dominant groups are insectivores (those that eat insects) like moles and shrews, and rodents like squirrels, and bats.
The Western Ghats are an important Asian Elephant habitat.
The Ghats also harbour the second largest population of the critically endangered tiger, particularly in the Karnataka region.
Liontailed Macaque (Macaca silenus) endemic (not found anywhere else in the world) to the southern Western Ghats is endangered due to the destruction of lush green forests which is their habitat. Large populations are sighted in Silent Valley in Kerala, which is the only undisturbed home left for these monkeys.
Have we lost these species?
Isolated populations of the nocturnal Malabar large-spotted civet (Viverra civettina) once lived in the Malabar region. Now they are critically endangered. There are no confirmed records of its recent sightings!
The Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) resembles wild goats (Capra genus) of the Himalayas. However, it is more closely related to the sheep (Ovis genus).
As the name suggests, this is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern Western Ghats and lives in sholas (patches of forests separated by grasslands). It is now endangered due to the degradation of the sholas.
The Indian Giant Squirrel, or Malabar Tree Squirrel (Ratufa indica), lives in the upper canopy of trees. This brown squirrel flattens itself on a tree branch when in danger, and the colour of its body blends with the background. It is nearly threatened due to the destruction of trees.
Endemic and Endangered
129 (40%) 145 (44%) 51 (16%)
Vulnerable Endangered CriticallyEndangered
Asian ElephantAsian Elephant Nilgiri TahrNilgiri Tahr
Liontailed MacaqueLiontailed Macaque
Indian Giant SquirrelIndian Giant Squirrel
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Malabarlarge-spotted civet
Malabarlarge-spotted civet
Ghats the hornbill lacks casque, the spongy growth on the beak, which is prominent in other species of hornbills.
Most birds are important pollinating and seed dispersal agents. This is very important for the regeneration and survival of the habitats. This hornbill particularly is a crucial seed dispersal agent in the Western Ghats.
Vernal Hanging Parrot (Loriculus vernalis), a resident breeder in the Western Ghats
What is a frog doing here?
Look again! It is a bird. Its large, flat, hooked bill and a frog-like gape (interior of the open mouth) to catch insects gives it the apt name Frogmouth. Found in the south Western Ghats and Sri Lanka as well, Sri Lanka Frogmouth or Ceylon Frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger) is difficult to spot in the tree. Why?
The Malabar Whistling Thrush (Myophonus horsfieldii) is called Whistling Schoolboy. Why?
The Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), dives vertically and rapidly into water to catch its prey which has little time to escape.
The growing list
The Western Ghats are truly the centre of herpetofaunal (reptiles and amphibians) diversity in India.
There are around 157 species of reptiles and 157 species of amphibians identified in the Ghats. New species of frogs, lizards and snakes are getting added to this list.
Remarkable Reptiles
Malabar Grey HornbillMalabar Grey Hornbill
Ceylon FrogmouthCeylon Frogmouth
Eastern Ghat
Periyar
North KanaraMalnad-Bhadra
Bandipur-Mudumalai-Nilgiris
Nagarhole
Agasthyamalai
Nilambur-Palghat
Anaimalai-Palani
Distribution of Asian elephantsin Western Ghats
Elephant DistributionStray Herds
India Southern Jungles for Jumbos
Bird Watchers' Paradise
The Western Ghats support nearly 15,000 Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus), which is more than 50 per cent of the total elephant population of India. Major elephant ranges are in the Nilgiris.
An adult elephant in the wild consumes 100 to 200 kg of vegetation per day from more than 50 plant species. Hence elephants require large forest ranges that make up their home (home range). They migrate from one forest to another through strips of vegetation called corridors that connect forests.
Elephants have been an important part of Indian culture and religion from time immemorial.
Elephant population is decreasing due to poaching for their valuable ivory and also due to significant reduction in the forest cover and disappearing corridors.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India launched Project Elephant in 1992 to protect and conserve elephant populations. Since migration corridors are vital for elephant conservation, the Project has identified 30 state corridors and 6 major interstate corridors in the Western Ghats.
508 bird species (including 144 aquatic) have been identified in the Western Ghats. Out of these at least 16 are endemic.
Malabar Grey Hornbill
One cannot miss the distinct loud 'cackling', laughing or screeching calls of the Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus). Endemic to the
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l 135 out of 157 species of
amphibians are endemic to the
Western Ghats – not found
anywhere else on earth.
l 12 new species and 3 lost species
of frogs have been discovered in
recent years.
Did You Know?
tink-tink-tink-tink. The sound is amplified by the vocal sacs that
inflate during the call. Observe the inflated vocal sacs.
The tree frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus), found in the South Western Ghats, parachutes in the air at an angle greater than 45 degrees. Occurring in a single small location in the Indira Gandhi National Park in Tamil Nadu, it is critically endangered.
About 6000 species of insects are recorded from Kerala alone!
Among the invertebrate (without backbones) fauna, insects form the largest group in the Western Ghats.
Out of 334 butterfly species reported from the Western Ghats, 37 butterfly species are endemic- found nowhere else on earth. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve alone has 315 species of butterflies!
The Crimson Rose butterfly (Atrophaneura hector) is endemic to India and also found in the Western Ghats. The red colour in its wings gives out warning signals to its predators about its toxicity. Some other butterflies also mimic its warning patterns to avoid predators.
As the name suggests the Southern Birdwing (Troides minos), the largest butterfly in South India has a wing span of about 6 inches or 15 cm! More common in the Western Ghats, it is the highlight in butterfly walks. Its striking colour warns the predators about its unpalatability due to the toxins it collects from plants.
There is also a high diversity of the molluscan fauna, particularly land snails, due to high rainfall.
Incredible Invertebrate Diversity
About 62 per cent of the reptiles are endemic to the Western Ghats.
Snakes are the major reptile group.
Some of the species of snakes of Uropeltis, a genus of non-
venomous shield tail snakes and primitive burrowing snakes are
almost entirely restricted to the South Western Ghat.
The beautiful scales of the venomous Malabar Pit Viper
(Trimeresurus malabaricus) are a designer's delight.
The Travancore Tortoise (Indotestudo travancorica) is a forest
tortoise, endemic to the South Western Ghats. More than one foot in
length, it resides in hill forests at 450–850 m elevation.
Varieties of amazing adaptations in amphibians such as body
shape, colour, behaviour help them to survive in the Western
Ghats.
The Purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) was found in 2003
in 5 localities around the Palghat Gap area. Its closest relative is in the
Seychelles. This is an important evidence of the separation of
Madagascar and the Seychelles from the Indian land mass. This frog is
called a living fossil – it is the sole surviving member of an ancient
lineage. It is now endangered due to habitat loss. Its distinct body
shape and colour conceals the body outline.
The small endemic, arboreal frog (Philautus luteolus) in the
Western Ghats makes loud calls during monsoon, which sounds like
Survival Secrets
Spot the frog. The splash pattern of the frog (Nyctibatrachus aliciae)
conceals the body shape and merges with its background protecting
it from predators. Splendid colours of survival, indeed!
Malabar Pit ViperMalabar Pit Viper
Travancore Tortoise Travancore Tortoise
Arboreal Frog Arboreal Frog
Crimson Rose butterflyCrimson Rose butterfly
Southern Birdwing butterflySouthern Birdwing butterfly
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Nyctibatrachus aliciaeNyctibatrachus aliciae
The endemic land snail (Indrella ampulla) shows great colour diversity from white, yellow, red to black. It is found along water bodies and other moist habitats of the evergreen forests.
There are four major forest types in the Western Ghats.
North Western Ghats Moist Deciduous Forests: Teak is the dominant tree species here.
North Western Ghats Montane Rainforests: Cinnamon type of trees dominate.
South Western Ghats Moist Deciduous Forests: Predominantly trees of Cullenia genus of the Bombacaceae family like wild durian (Cullenia exarillata) are found here.
South Western Ghats Montane Rainforests: Most species-rich, with about 80 per cent of the flowering plant species of the Ghats range. Also known as Shola Forest.
Forest Is More Than Just Trees
Besides 4000 and more higher plants, 320 species of pteridophytes, 200 species of bryophytes, 300 species of algae and 800 species of lichens have been identified. One-third of all the flowering plant species in India are found in the forests of the Western Ghats. Of the 267 species of fascinating orchids, 130 are found nowhere else.
Plant diversity increases from north to south of the Ghats.
Forests
Shola: Biologically Unique Landscape
Relic Forests
Sholas refer to patches of stunted tropical montane rain forests separated by vast, rolling grasslands. Found in the valleys at altitudes above 1700 m, they are the special features of the Western Ghats. Their occurrence is more frequent in parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sholas are treasure house of rare and endemic species as compared with other parts of the Ghats because like islands, they are somewhat isolated from other areas.
Shola grassland supports rich herbivorous animals including the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, Slender Loris and Giant Squirrels. The forest patches provide them with shelter.
Sholas play a critical role in regulating water in the Ghats and are ecologically important.
Some of the Last Non-equatorial Rainforests
Located in the north of the Equator, the tropical forests of the Western Ghats have patches of ancient forests. These are called relic forests. They shelter rare and endemic plants and animals.
The luxuriant rainforest with its thick canopy and three-layer vegetation is nearly impenetrable.
The undergrowth of shrubs and herbs supports varieties of invertebrate fauna and facilitates a steady flow of water making the Ghats water-rich.
Endemic Land SnailEndemic Land Snail GaurGaur
Exacum bicolorExacum bicolor
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Original Inhabitants
Sustainable Living
The Western Ghats first came under human influences during the stone age some 12,000 years ago!
Tribes of the Western Ghats are the original inhabitants (Adivasis) of the region. There are several tribal communities in the region, living in small pockets.
Coexisting with nature, each tribe has developed unique culture and practices closely linked with nature. They have rich knowledge of the local natural resources.
Interestingly, each of these tribes uses different resources for their sustenance and livelihood, thereby not competing with the other. This supports the sustainable use, and harvest of the available resources.
The Way of Tribal Life
Todas: The Nobles of Nilgiris
The well-built Todas, supposed to be of some foreign origin, believe that they are the God-sent lords of the Nilgiris. Dairy is the livelihood of this pastoral community. The population of the Todas is less than 1000 today.
Siddis: From East Africa to Uttara Kannada
Siddis, supposed to have African ancestors have been living in the forests of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka for the last 400 years. They believe that Barack Obama, the US President shares their genepool! They even wanted to gift him a bottle of honey during his visit to India in 2010! They practise agriculture, collect forest produce like honey, and occasionally hunt small animals. Colourful, traditional
patch work quilts (kawandi or kaudi) stitched by Siddi women are popular the world over.
In Harmony with Nature: The Warli Tribe
Living in the northern-most region of the Western Ghats, Warli, an agricultural tribe, is said to predict the onset of the monsoon using eco-indicators such as the time of the sunset, bird calls etc. They respect life forms and do not hunt unless it is a necessity. Traditional folk paintings of the Warli tribe revolve around nature, religious rituals and daily social life.
The Kings of Wayanad Jungles: Kattunayakans
Kattunayakan is one of the five primitive tribal groups in Kerala. They are also called Cholanaickan in Nilambur area and Pathinaickans in the plains of Malappuram district. Kattunayakans gather forest produce. Expert honey gatherers, they can even tell if there is honey in a hive hanging at a height of 20 m!
The tribes today form less than 5 per cent of the population in the Western Ghats. The umbilical cord between the tribes and the Ghats are being severed.
Declining forests, developmental activities like dam construction, forest policies etc. have made life difficult for these tribes. Forced out of their traditional way of life and livelihood, tribes are finding it difficult to adapt to the changing lifestyles. Incidences of crimes and begging are on the rise. Allowing tribes to lead their traditional lifestyle and/or equipping them to lead a decent life before bringing them to the mainstream are the needs of the day. The 'hotspot' status of the Western Ghats defines only the protection of plants and animals, but not of the tribes who live there!
Changing Times Troubled Tribes
Munds (Toda huts)built from mud and bamboo
Nature and social life figure inWarli paintings
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The Crumbling Paradise
Why are the Western Ghats under threat?
Human interference has led to steady and extensive transformation of the Western Ghat habitats eroding much of its rich biodiversity.
Reduction in the forest cover is the major change due to deforestation and forest fragmentation, degradation being greater and rapid in the southern stretch.
Can any afforestation programme replace the rich pristine forests of the Western Ghats?
With the vital ecological services like soil, water, temperature regulation, economic benefits are being lost. Of the total known fauna, 102 species fall under different categories of threat, mammals and amphibians being the prominent groups.
With the changing lifestyles, the traditional conservation ethics and knowledge are being eroded. Sacred groves are losing their significance and are fast disappearing.
l No more than 8000 sq km of pristine forest remains. The annual deforestation rate is more than 1 per cent.
l The unique Myristica swamps have been replaced by paddy cultivation.
l Large dams are causing submergence of tracts of prime forests and displacement of indigenous people
l Due to the fire used to clear forests for agriculture the vegetation pattern has changed to more fire tolerant species such as catechu (Acacia catechu), Rose wood (Dalbergia latifolia), Teak (Tectona grandis)
l Extensive plantations of tea (750 sq km), coffee (1500 sq km) and cardamom (825 sq km) above 1500 m elevation in the Ghats.
Bababudan Giri (hill) in Chikmagalore in the Karnataka Ghat region is named after a Muslim pilgrim, Baba Budan who introduced Arabic variety of coffee here in the 17th century from just 7 seeds brought from Yemen. Coffee from plantations which originated from those 7 seeds is famous.
l Mining is disrupting the large home ranges of elephants, tigers and liontailed macaques.
l Significantly altered habitats have disturbed the life support system of the elephants leading to human-elephant conflicts and elephant deaths.
l Climate change is likely to change the character of the forests. In the Nilgiris, there may be a deterioration in shola ecosystem, the only habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr. Will these animals survive this change?
Biodiversity hotspots are regions that harbour especially high numbers of endemic species and, at the same time, have been significantly impacted by human activities. These areas need special protection.
There are 16 National Parks and more than 47 Sanctuaries. These are spread over 10 per cent of the Western Ghats.
Ten areas have been notified across the Ghats as Tiger Reserves, constituted of National Parks and Sanctuaries. One third of the tiger population of India finds protection here.
"The tiger cannot be preserved in isolation. It is at the apex of a large and complex biotope. Its habitat, threatened by human intrusion, commercial forestry and cattle grazing, must first be made inviolate." – Mrs Indira Gandhi
Protecting the Hotspot
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The Blue Mountains
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Nilgiris [Nil = Blue, Giri = Mountain]
Why this name?
l The blue haze enveloping the hill ranges? OR
l The carpet of purplish blue flowers of the shrub, Neela Kurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) that cover these hills? OR
l Both?
The Nilgiris is the name of the hill range which is over 2000 m high, in the State of Tamil Nadu, where the Karnataka and Kerala state borders meet. There are more than 24 peaks in this range.
Recognized globally as one of the most critical habitats for a host of species.
The Nilgiri hill range was chosen by the Man And Biosphere (MAB) programme as the representative of the Western Ghats by UNESCO in 1986 for long-term conservation. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India coordinates the MAB programme.
The Biosphere Reserve is spread across 3 states, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, covering about 5500 sq km.
In just about 0.15 per cent of India's land area, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve harbours 23 per cent of vertebrates, 15 per cent of butterflies and 20 per cent of flowering plants found in India.
The Reserve also supports the largest single population of elephants and tigers in India.
The Abode of Agasthya
Key Biodiversity Areas
Corridor Conservation
Agasthyamalai, or Ashamb Hills, are situated in the extreme south of the Western Ghats in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve is also being considered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of very high plant diversity and endemism at the species level.
The hill is named after the Vedic Sage Agasthya because of the valuable medicinal plants found here. It is believed that Boopathi Kuligai, one of his herbal preparations, is so powerful that it would even bring the dead back to life!
126 Key Biodiversity Areas are identified and delineated in the Western Ghats.
KBAs are areas containing irreplaceable and threatened biodiversity and hence are globally important sites for conservation.
Conserving such areas ensures the conservation of biodiversity in the larger protected area.
The KBAs in the Western Ghats help to protect unique species such as the liontailed macaque and purple frog, among others.
Green Corridor, or Wildlife Corridor, is a patch of habitat that connects populations of wild life, which may become isolated by activities such as forest clearing, fire and so on. Such corridors are vital for the movement of animals, requiring large home ranges, such as the elephant and tiger for re-establishment and breeding.
l The Neela Kurinji shrub blooms once
in 12 years.
l The Paliyan tribe used this blooming
cycle to calculate their age.
Did You Know?
Liontailed macaque (Macaca silenus)
Malabar Gliding/flying frog(Rhacophorus malabaricus)
Crimson rose butterfly (Atrophaneura hector)
Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans)
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Promising Ventures
How secure is the future of the Western Ghats?
As the initiatives to conserve the Western Ghats Biodiversity increase, new challenges are emerging, particularly the complexity surrounding the developmental projects and climate change.
DNA Barcoding
DNA barcodes are used in rapid assessment of species from samples. It is a cheaper taxonomic method that uses a short genetic marker in an organism's DNA to identify the species.
The National and State Governments are planning the DNA barcoding project to identify and distinguish species in the Western Ghats, with the Kerala State initiating the project in threatened habitats.
Policy for the Protection of Fragile Mountain Scape
National Environment Policy (2006) views mountains (Western Ghats and Himalayas) as entities with “Incomparable Values”. The policy has recommended some measures for conservation such as appropriate land use planning and watershed practices, adopting best practice norms for infrastructure projects, promoting organic farming, encouraging sustainable tourism and so on.
How effective are the actions?
How precise and prompt are the deliveries?
The future of the Western Ghats depends on how positive the answers to these questions are.
Act Now to save the Western Ghats with their exceptional lifescape before this paradise is lost!
For instance, the Project Elephant, launched in 1992 by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India, has identified 30
State corridors and 6 major interstate corridors in the Western Ghats
for conservation.
Traditional Way to Conservation
Thousands of sacred groves are found in the Western Ghats, with
their area ranging from 0.01 acre to more than 50 acres.
Sacred Groves are pockets of vegetation preserved on religious
grounds and dedicated to various deities by the traditional
societies.
These groves are rich repositories of biodiversity and indicate the
type of vegetation that existed, in the distant past in the region.
Over 1000 Sacred Groves (Deva kadu) are documented in the
district of Kodagu alone, in Karnataka. Dedicated to Ayyappa,
the forest god, the groves are protected and maintained by the
martial community of Kodavas, with strict laws and taboos
against poaching and felling of trees.
In many such sites, ritualistic dances like Theyyam in Kerala are
performed for the deity in connection with the grove protection.
Traditional societies living in the Western Ghats area
perceive conservation as a part of their religion, traditions
and culture. The Sacred Groves are one of the greatest
repositories of ethno-biological knowledge.
Sacred Groves
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Steps to Save the Western Ghats
The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India is a major benefactor in Western Ghats conservation.
With the help of 5 State Governments, the Ministry implements major conservation projects such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant and Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas. It also takes the help of legislations such as the Forest Conservation Act (1980) to enforce conservation.
Several research and academic institutions, as well as NGOs have joined hands in this endeavour. There is considerable interest among the local people and NGOs to revive the tradition of sacred groves along the Western Ghats.
The Hotspot status of the Western Ghats has attracted international funding for conservation. The Global Environment Facility, World Bank provides funds to save this iconic biome, with the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF, 2000) being the major fund.
Some Organizations Working for Western Ghats Conservation
Several development agencies including government organizations, research and academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations are working towards Western Ghats conservation through policies, surveys, research, management, education, livelihood improvement and so on.
l Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad
l C.P.R Environmental Education Centre, Chennai
l Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
l Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore
l Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Trivandrum
l Centre of Excellence in Environmental Economics, Chennai
l Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bengaluru
l Centre for Animals and Environment, Bengaluru
l Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru
l Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai
l Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala.
l Key Stone Foundation, Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu
l Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore
l Wildlife Conservation Society, India, Bengaluru
An IUCN and Zoo Outreach Organisation joint assessment on
global conservation status and distribution of freshwater
species confirms the Western Ghats as a significant centre of
diversity and endemism for freshwater species. 96 of the
endemic species are under IUCN Red List category as they are
threatened with extinction risk.
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Actions required to prevent extinction of the Western Ghats
freshwater endemic species include protection of key habitats,
prevention of flow modifications where possible, conservation
of specialized ecosystems such as Myristica swamps,
prevention of agrochemical use in upper catchments, effective
effluent treatment and better solid waste disposal and
regulation of tourism in critical habitats.
Awareness programmes promoting better understanding of the
values, sustainable use, and management of wetlands and
rivers are crucial to eliminate public perception of wetlands as
wastelands. Management plans need to be developed with
community participation to benefit both the many dependant
people and the rich biodiversity that these areas support. The
Western Ghats provides important ecosystem services
including food and resources to sustain livelihoods to about 400
million people.
Save Silent Valley campaign, a people's
movement that resulted in the
cancellation of hydroelectric project
across the river Kuntipuzha, attracted
global attention in 1970s.
Why the name Silent Valley?
Absence of cicadas (a species of insect)
or the presence of macaques
(Macaca silenus)?
Find out!
Did You Know?
114
The Deccan Peninsula
The Deccan Peninsula is a large area of raised land covering about 43 per cent of India's total land surface.
It consists of 5 provinces: Central Highland, Eastern Highland, Chhota Nagpur, Deccan Plateau and Deccan South.
The Eastern and Central Highlands
Moist and Dry Deciduous Forests
The trees in these forests usually have broad leaves and they shed the leaves during the dry winter and summer season. The common trees of these forests are teak, sal, sandalwood, mahua, palash, khair, wattle, semal, shisham, and arjun. The largest area under bamboo forests (over 50000 sq km) is in this region.
Dry Evergreen Forests extend as a narrow strip along southern coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The monsoon here is brief and occurs in the month of October and December. These forests retain their leaves through the year.
Moist deciduous forests may get
converted to dry deciduous forests and
dry deciduous may become scrub forests
as rainfall patterns in India change due
to climate change.
Think, then what will happen to the animals?
Did You Know?
12
34
5
THE DECCANPENINSULATHE DECCANPENINSULA
THE DECCANPENINSULATHE DECCANPENINSULA
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1 Central Highland2 Eastern Highland3 Chhota Nagpur4 Central (Deccan) Plateau5 Deccan South
Who Lives Here?
1. Long billed vulture 2. Hanuman langur
3. Palash tree 4. Bulbul
5. Painted spurfowl 6. Crocodile bark tree
7. Cicadas 8. Monitor lizard
9. Termite 10. Sloth bear
11. Yellow footed green pigeon 12. Teak tree
13. Flying squirrel 14. Forest owlet
15.Mahua tree 16. Tiger
17. Ratel 18. Plain tiger butterfly
19. Rock python 20. Grasshopper
21. Dung beetle 22. Giant wood spider
23. Harvester ant 24. Indian cobra
25. Red jungle fowl
Grasslands and Scrub Forests are the predominant vegetation types of Deccan Plateau.
Grasslands
Grasslands cover areas where rainfall is usually low, and the soil depth is shallow. The low rainfall does not support the dense growth of large trees and shrubs, but enough to support the growth of grass during the monsoon. Most of the grasses evolved 40 to 50 million years ago after volcanic eruption and Deccan Trap formation, that is after dinosaurs became extinct.
Scrub Forests
The Deccan scrub forests are located in the arid parts of the Deccan Plateau. The annual rainfall here is less than 750 mm. This forest type
The Deccan Plateau
consists of open, low vegetation characterized by thorny trees with short trunks such as Acacia spp. The region is neither exceptionally species-rich, nor high in endemism, still it is home to a variety of life forms.
Who Lives Here?
1. Black shouldered kite 2. Baya weaver
3. Ashy crowned sparrow lark 4. Blackbuck
5. Indian wolf 6. Ber tree
7. Bay backed shrike 8. Jungle bush quail
9. Grey francolin 10. Green keelback
11. Great Indian bustard 12. Yellow wattled lapwing
13. Indian silverbill 14. Funnel web spider
15. Milkweed plant 16. Plain tiger butterfly
17. Field mouse 18. Toad
19. Fan throated lizard 20. Painted grasshopper
Grasses are integral part of human lives, livelihood and culture.
Grasses are used for food, fodder, medicines, building materials, paper, perfumes and more.
Bamboo is also a grass! Bamboo craft includes a variety of items such as baskets, mats, furniture, poles, ropes, bows and arrows.
Thatch grass is used to cover huts. Ropes and brooms are also made from grass.
Disappearing Grasslands
Natural grasslands are being converted into farmland, into spaces for human habitation and for industrial areas. This means loss of habitat for the grassland flora and fauna.
Grasses Sustain Lives and Livelihoods
The Deccan Plateau was formed from
lava flows and volcanic eruptions
about 65 million years ago.
Did You Know?
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Golden BambooGolden Bamboo
Bamboo is the tallest grass. It can
grow up to a height of 50 m.
Rice, wheat, maize, barley, oats, rye,
bajra, sorghum which are part of our
daily food are all seeds of plants in the
grass family.
Sugarcane is the sweet grass!
Did You Know?
The Plain tiger butterfly lays its eggs
on milkweed. When the caterpillars
hatch they eat the leaves which
contain a toxic chemical. This
chemical does not affect the
caterpillar but makes it unpalatable
for birds. This provides safety from
predators.
Did You Know?
Flowers
Culm(stalk)
Node
Blade
Sheath
Shoot
StolonFibrous roots
Milkweed
Aphids
Carpenterbee
Plain tigerbutterfly
Spider
Predatorybird
?
?
Calotropis procera
The Food Web
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The plant grows everywhere, but it is not browsed by cattle, because it is toxic. Giant milkweed has immense medicinal value.
Animals that Eat Milkweed (Primary Consumers)
Locate two animals that eat parts of the plant
Locate three animals that feed on nectar
Animals that Eat Other Animals that Eat Milkweed (Secondary Consumers)
Locate two animals that eat creatures that feed on leaves, seeds or nectar of milkweed
The native grasses are gradually being replaced by less nutritious grasses due to over-grazing, soil erosion and degradation.
The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh is the country's premier research institute in the area of grassland, fodder production and utilization.
l Grasses are among the most recently evolved plants.
l They can grow even in low rainfall areas, in harsh sunlight and rocky soils.
l They enrich and stabilize the soil and, therefore, help other plants to grow.
What makes a grass?
l Stems called culms which are generally cylindrical and hollow.
l Ribbon-like leaves which are called blades.
l Fibrous roots which form an intricate web under the ground.
l Grass also has flowers and fruits.
More Than Meets The Eye!
There are many common plants which we come across daily but tend to ignore. Every plant constitutes a small world in itself. Take the example of the Milkweed; locally known as Aak, Madar, Aakdo, Rui.
The plant plays an important role in improving the fertility and water holding capacity of the soil.
Grasses Provide Us Our Food!
Giant Milkweed
Snail
Fruitfly
Ladybirdbeetle
Predatorymammal
Gardenlizard
Mantid
Purplesunbird
Jerdon's Courser
Forest Owlet
Named after the British surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon who described it in 1848, sightings of this bird were reported till the early 1900s.
In 1986, Dr. Bharat Bhushan, a researcher from the Bombay Natural History Society and a local person were able to locate the bird again.
It lives in sparse scrub forest. It is endemic to southern India, and its range is mainly the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.
This fairly long-legged ground dwelling bird prefers to run rather than fly. Its habitat is being destroyed by quarrying, extraction of fire wood, cattle grazing and conversion of the forest areas to farms.
It is currently known to exist only in Sri Lanka Malleswara Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
There are 9 species of Coursers worldwide. The Jerdon's Courser is classified as Critically Endangered as it is thought that no more than 200 individuals remain.
Thought to be extinct, rediscovered after 113 years!
The Forest Owlet was first described in scientific literature in 1878. It was last seen in 1884. For a long time, it was thought that this bird was extinct. But, in 1997, a team of scientists surveying the forests found it again in the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra. Besides Nandurbar, Forest Owlets are also found in Melghat in Maharashtra and some parts of Madhya Pradesh. This owl is endemic to the dry deciduous, teak-dominated forests of Central India.
The bird faces threats like habitat destruction, forest fires and hunting due to superstitions. As only about 100 individuals have been found so far, the Forest Owlet is still classified as Critically Endangered.
The existence of wild animals and plants is in danger. If their habitat is not conserved, we might lose them forever.
The natural habitats of the Deccan Plateau and Highlands are rapidly deteriorating due to a number of reasons. With the loss of habitat there is also loss of the flora and fauna of this habitat.
With reduction in grassland habitat and conversion to farmlands, blackbuck sometimes enter crop fields.
Bauxite mining in reserved forests of Araku valley will destroy the pristine habitats of several endangered flora and fauna.
Construction of dams, urbanization and sprawling industries have greatly reduced the undisturbed wilderness available for wild creatures to live in.
Where is the Asiatic Cheetah?
Some species are now believed to be extinct, while others are endangered or threatened.
Once the top predator of the Deccan grasslands, the Asiatic Cheetah has not been seen in the wild in India since the middle of the 20th century. It is believed that the last one was hunted down in 1947.
In Danger!
Gone
Jerdon's Courser
Locally known as Kalivi Kodi, this bird is active at dawn and dusk.
Forest Owlet
Unlike other owls, the Forest Owlet is up and about during the
day, not at night. Cheetah
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Going?
Competing for Space
The Last Wild Buffaloes
The wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is the ancestor of the domestic water buffalo. It is bigger in size and heavier, with majestic horns. The Udanti and Indravati wildlife sanctuaries in the State of Chhattisgarh are the only places in Central India where genetically 'pure' wild buffalo population is concentrated, with numbers less than 40 individuals. The remaining wild buffaloes in India total less than 4,000.
Rhesus and Bonnet Macaque
The Godavari river in east-central India and the Tapi river in the western part of the country form the dividing line for the distribution of Bonnet Macaque and the Rhesus Macaque.
Bonnet Macaques are restricted to peninsular India, i.e. south of the dividing line whereas Rhesus Macaques are found above the Tapi. Rhesus Macaque have a large habitat range and they adapt easily.
Due to rapid urbanization, extensive fragmentation and loss of their forest habitat Rhesus Macaques have extended their geographical range into the southern peninsula which is Bonnet Macaque's range. This is leading to competition for food and space between the two species.
Plants in Peril
Rakt Chandan (Pterocarpus santalinus)
This tree species which is endemic to the Deccan area is widely used for timber and in medicines to treat injuries, reduce burning sensation, arrest bleeding and treat skin disorders. The wood is illegally traded for its medicinal value.
The tree is listed as endangered.
Rakt chandan, or red sandalwood, is smuggled and fetches a high price as the Zitan furniture (famously called King's Furniture) in China is made from this wood.
It is commercially valuable for extraction of dye and cosmetics.
Swallow Root (Decalepis hamiltonii)
An endemic and endangered medicinal plant of Peninsular India, it is found in the forests of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The plant roots are used in ayurvedic medicine to treat wound, bronchial asthma, fever, haemorrhage. It is also used to make pickle and chutney which taste like ginger. Yenadi tribes of Andhra Pradesh prepare traditional drink from it called Nannari. This drink cools the system and purifies blood.
The plant is listed as endangered due to habitat destruction, illegal trade and over-exploitation for its medicinal value.
Rakt ChandanRakt Chandan
Wild Buffalo
Swallow RootSwallow Root
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People and Practices
Snake venom for livelihood!
The traditional knowledge and skills of tribal communities are being used in mainstream economic and conservation activities.
Irulas: Snake-Catchers
The Irulas are hunter-gatherers by tradition. Their expertise in catching snakes is legendary. The ban on snake hunting for skins deprived the Irulas of their main source of livelihood. In 1978, Irulas Snake-Catchers Industrial Cooperative Society was formed. The Society is engaged in extracting snake venom which is then crystallized and supplied to various laboratories in India for experiments and making antivenin, which is used in making medicine for snakebite and some blood disorders.
Kolam: Expert Honey Collectors
Kolam tribe harvests honey from trees as high as fifty feet in darkness with little support. Srujan, an organization working with this community has initiated a 'Non-violent' honey extraction method without destroying bee hives. The Kolam's custom of leaving some trees in the forest untouched as 'sacred abodes of god' shows their understanding and commitment towards conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
Phase Paradhi: Hunters Who Protect
Phase Paradhis are traditional hunters skilful in trapping methods. They possess invaluable knowledge of wildlife and their habitats. In Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra, they helped in recording 11 sightings and protection of three nests of Lesser Florican, not recorded in last 30 years in Maharashtra. They are also playing a critical role in grassland improvement.
People with a Long History
Tribal communities have been present in the Deccan peninsular region for thousands of years. Over millennia these communities have developed knowledge of, and close relationship with, numerous plants and animals.
Tribes like Kolam, Katkari, Madia and Kamar practise hunting-gathering, fishing and shifting cultivation for their subsistence. Some other tribes are:
l Kurubas: traditional sheep keepers
l Baiga: semi-nomadic; do not plough the earth out of respect for it
l Bhoi and Koli: fishing communities in Maharashtra
l Bhil: rich cultural tradition visible in their songs, dances, stories and art. Walls are decorated with clay relief work, mittichitra, and paintings.
Conserving Traditional Rice Varieties
The knowledge, practices and cultural values of tribal communities are a valuable resource for modern conservation work.
Bastar in Chhattisgarh has over 5000 traditional varieties of rice and millets such as ragi, kodo and kutki. These have been developed and cultivated over generations by Gond, Madia, Halba, Bhatra and other tribal groups. Dharohar Samiti, a local tribal farmers' group in Kondagaon area, is conserving over 260 traditional varieties of rice and millets. Through the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique, they have improved productivity of these crops in an organic way, to match productivity of hybrid varieties. This also helps to conserve crop diversity and maintain the ecological integrity of this agro-climatic region.
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Cock a Doodle Doo!
Hound Named after a Princely State
From Forest to Game Arena
Aseel
Bred from the Red Jungle Fowl in East Godavari region, this indigenous breed is valued for its meat, agility and ability to escape predators. Aseels are bred for cockfight games due to their aggressive tendencies.
Kadaknath
Native to Central India, this breed is popular for its adaptability and tasty meat.
Mudhol Hound
The Raja of Mudhol, an erstwhile princely state in Karnataka, is said to have presented a pair of hound puppies to King George V of England, who named them “the Hounds of Mudhol”. This breed is found not only in Mudhol but widely throughout the Deccan. It is a strong dog capable of great speed and stamina.
Goat
The region has about a third of the goat population of the country. Sangamneri, Osmanabadi, Kannaiadu are the important breeds.
The Osmanabadi Goat, which gets its name from Osmanabad in Maharashtra, is known for its tasty meat.
Goat rearing requires little investment and is not labour intensive. Thus, it is a productive option for the poor in this dry region.
Baa Baa Black Sheep!
Hooves and Horns
The Deccan Peninsula has a little more than half the sheep population of the country.
The region has more than ten breeds: Deccani (Bellary), Nellore, Madras Red, Mandya, Tiruchy Black, Mecheri, Ramnad White, Nilgiri, Coimbatore, Kilaikarsal, Kengiur and Vembur.
Selective breeding over 200 years and a new breed is born!
The domestic breeds are well adapted to specific local conditions and needs. They are able to withstand the local weather changes, and diseases. They can feed on locally available plants.
Pandharpuri buffalo
This breed is native to the dry regions of Solapur, Kolhapur, and Sangli in Maharashtra. It is easily identified by its long, sword-shaped horns.
Khillari cattle
This breed is found in the Bijapur district of Karnataka, and the Solapur, Kolhapur and Satara districts of Maharashtra. It is suitable for draught.
Deoni cattle
This breed is found mainly in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, Bidar in Karnataka and adjoining parts of Andhra Pradesh. It has been developed within the last 200 years by selective breeding among Gir, Dangi and local cattle.
Red Jungle FowlRed Jungle Fowl
Mudhol HoundMudhol Hound Ghongadi is the traditional woollen
blanket of Maharashtra and Telangana
region of Andhra Pradesh. It is woven
from the black wool of Deccani Sheep
reared by shepherd communities
known as Dhangar, Kuruba and Golla
in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh respectively. This highly
adaptable sheep provides livelihood to
farmers, shepherds and craftsmen.
Sangar community in Maharashtra has
specialized in weaving ghongadi.
Did You Know?
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Celebrating Cereals
Ragi - brought to India 4000 years ago!
Rice - 19000 varieties in Chhattisgarh alone!
Millets are a group of small-seeded species of grasses, the seeds used as cereal or grains. Eight millet species are commonly grown in Deccan Peninsula.
Millets are specially suited to this region because of their adaptability to grow in water-scarce areas, and heat and drought resistance capacity. They can be cultivated round the year.
Wild Ancestors
The plants and animals we have domesticated have originally come from wild varieties.
From the great variety of wild species of plants human beings have, over centuries, selected some of the species to cultivate. Farmers and scientists developed improved crop varieties through selection, cross-breeding, and grafting to enhance taste, nutritional value, yield, resistance to diseases, drought tolerance etc.
The eastern part of peninsular India is the centre of origin of Toor, or pigeon pea. Its closest wild relatives (Cajanus cajanifolia) occur in forests of Odisha.
Sorghum, or Jowar Little Millet
Source of energy Domesticated in India
One of the most important staple It grows even in dry weather. Stalks foods of millions of poor people in the are good fodder for cattle.semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa.
Proso Millet Pearl Millet, or Bajra Requires very little water Source of iron and protein An excellent crop of dryland as it It can grow where other cereals like requires little water and grows in 60-wheat and maize cannot. 90 days.
Foxtail Millet Barnyard Millet
It is one the world’s oldest cultivated Fastest growing crops. It produces a crop in six weeks.
Finger Millet, or Ragi Kodo Millet Rich in calcium High fibre content Native of Ethiopian Highlands, this Domesticated in India almost 3000 was introduced in India about 4000 years ago.years ago.
TYPES OF CEREALS FOUND IN THE REGION
l A leading expert on rice in India,
Dr. R. H. Richharia, has recorded
about 19000 rice varieties from
Chhattisgarh.
l In Puri, a different variety of rice
is offered to Lord Jagannath every
day! How many varieties of rice do
you eat? Find out what different
varieties are used for different
dishes.
Did You Know?
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Government Efforts
Government of India has established several wildlife Protected Areas to conserve flora and fauna in the wild. There are 116 wildlife sanctuaries and 21 national parks in Deccan Peninsula. These include special sanctuaries to protect the highly endangered Great Indian Bustard and Jerdon's Courser.
Conserving Great Indian Bustard
The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has been categorized as 'critically endangered' by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Birdlife and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).The Ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated the GIB Recovery Project in the five states of their occurrence i.e. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka.
The recovery plan includes three-tier strategies: at national level, State-specific, and Site-specific conservation. The highlight of the project is to link local livelihoods with bustard conservation; set up a profitable and equitable mechanism to share revenues generated from eco-tourism with local communities; identify core breeding areas and keep them inviolate from human disturbances; permitting only low intensity, traditional pastoral activities during the non-breeding season.
Bustard species are regarded as indicators of grassland ecosystems. By conserving the bustard and their habitats a very large number of species dependent on healthy grassland will be protected.
ICT for Conservation
The Forest Department, Madhya Pradesh has launched a unique Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) initiative for effective monitoring of wildlife and conservation of forests. This is the Forest Offence Management System which helps in registering forest offences electronically on GPS-facilitated PDAs at the location of offence itself.The Forest Department has given Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) to all Beat Guards in Kanha National Park and Satpura Tiger Reserve to enable them to immediately report offences. PDA phones have round-the-clock satellite link.
This initiative has inspired States like Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Haryana and Rajasthan to adopt the same system.
Wild Buffalo Recovery Project
It was found that Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh had only seven individuals, including a male calf and one female of the wild water buffalo. The lone female buffalo and her male calf are being kept in a spacious enclosure within the sanctuary for their safety.
This is part of the Udanti Wild Buffalo Recovery Project which aims to stabilize the wild buffalo population. The plan aims at ensuring zero unnatural deaths of the remaining individuals, and habitat improvement. Additional females from closely-related populations are to be brought in for breeding in Udanti.
The species is classified 'endangered' and listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Great Indian Bustard Wild Buffalo
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Benefit Sharing Enabled
India has taken significant legislative measures for ensuring Access and Benefit Sharing. In one such case of benefit sharing in the country, the royalty amount of Rs.20,000/- has been given to Amarchinta Biodiversity Management Committee in Mahboobnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, for the export of neem leaves to Japan. This has been enabled through the National Biodiversity Authority, as per the provisions of Biological Diversity Act.
Conserving the Gene Pool
An early-maturing and large-seeded hybrid of Bajra variety MBH 110 was wiped out due to downy mildew epidemic disease in 1989. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT) developed a new variety called ICTP 8203 similar to MBH 110, from a Bajra variety found in the northern Togo in Africa.
Community Efforts
Biodiversity on Wheels
The Mobile Biodiversity Festival is a unique conservation and cultural campaign initiated in 2001 by the Deccan Development Society in Andhra Pradesh.
The festival features a caravan of bullock carts that move from village to village. Displayed in the carts are hundreds of traditional varieties of seeds of the Deccan dryland region. The annual festival begins on Sankranti Day, and the jatra of the caravan ends a month later at the Central Community Seeds Shrine run by women farmers. At every village along the route, discussions are held with farmers about local seed varieties, and also about other agriculture-related issues. Food festivals of traditional dishes and screening of films are the other highlights. Over the decade, the participation of farmers in the festival has increased greatly.
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The festival symbolizes the celebrations of the agro-biodiversity of the region and a sense of pride in the local crops, animals and their relationships with local culture.
Conserving Local Biodiversity
The Deccani sheep is being conserved in Solapur district, Maharashtra and in Medak district, Andhra Pradesh by Anthra, an organization started by women veterinary scientists. Interested farmers and local school groups are also conserving traditional millets, pulses and oil crops, fodder seeds and medicinal plants, local breeds of poultry, cattle and goat in Medak, Pune, Satara, Ahmednagar, and Solapur districts.
A New Way of Thinking
IUCN's Livelihoods and Landscape Strategy (LLS) initiative represents a new way of thinking from focussing on threats to promoting negotiated plans for productive landscapes. To achieve this, LLS goes beyond forest management and links positively with other sectors such as agriculture, water, energy, health and the private sector. LLS provides for immediate needs while supporting long term changes that will improve human well being and resilience. The LLS initiative has worked in two sites in India, the Shiwalik foothills in Haryana, and the Kaptipada and Baisingha Forest Ranges, Mayurbhanj district in Odisha.
Conserving Medicinal Plants
Indian government has incorporated traditional medical practices and the conservation of medicinal plants into existing national health and forestry policies.
Ministry of Environment and Forests as the main implementing partner guides efforts to ensure the sustainable development of medicinal plants and to promote and protect the livelihoods of the rural population. The project has support of United Nations Development Programme, and State governments and organizations across India.
Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bangalore, Karnataka coordinates the activities of the state and local partner agencies in nine states of India. The agency provides technical and policy advisory services.
The programme also promotes the exchange of expertise and best practices with traditional medical practitioners across Asia, Africa and South America.
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Coasts
Where Sea Meets Land
l The coastal zone can be described as that part of the sea which is affected by land and that part of the land which is affected by sea.
l Coasts include more than just the sea shore or beach. They comprise habitats such as cliffs, rocky coasts, sandy coasts, estuaries, deltas, lagoons, backwaters, mangrove forests, mud flats, salt marshes, sea grass beds, and coral reefs.
l Salinity, waves and tidal actions are the major factors that affect the biodiversity of the coasts.
l The extent of the coastal zone varies with location and time! For example, near the Shravan Kavadia temple (in Lodai village, Bhuj District in Gujarat) there is a 0.7 ha land-locked patch of mangroves, which is located 100 km from the seashore. This is an evidence that once this area may have been on the shoreline.
In India, for regulation purposes, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2011 Notification, states that coastal zone is 500 m on the landward side from high tide line and up to 12 nautical miles seaward from the low tide line.
l Every fourth Indian lives within
50 km of the seashore.
l 3 of the 4 metropolitan cities in
India are located along the coast.
l 9 states and 4 Union Territories
of India have a coastline.
Did You Know?
THE COASTS THE ISLANDSTHE COASTS THE ISLANDS
THE COASTS THE ISLANDSTHE COASTS THE ISLANDS
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Islands
An Enchanting World
Surrounded by Sea
l An island is a landmass surrounded by water.
l The major island groups of India are the Andaman and Nicobar islands, and the Lakshadweep islands.
l The Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu has 21 islands and Marine National Park, Jamnagar in Gujarat has 42 islands.
Island Types
Continental: These lie on the continental shelf and are mostly volcanic in origin, e.g. Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, Greenland.
Oceanic: These do not lie on the continental shelf. They may be volcanic in origin, e.g. Andaman, Nicobar.
Some may be formed due to corals, e.g. Lakshadweep.
In the marine world you can see 'deserts' of sand dunes, 'forests' of sea grasses and mangroves, and spectacular coral reefs.
The animal and plant life is incredible in its diversity, and has amazing adaptations to the marine world.
The Indian coasts host, among others
l more than 180 species of benthic algae
l 14 species of sea weeds
l 12 species of sea grasses
l 108 species of sponges
l 4 species of lobsters
l 600 species of crabs
l 103 species of echinoderms
l 2546 species of fishes
India has the world's seventh longest coastline.
l The coastline of India is 7516 km long. Of this, the mainland coastline is 5422 km, Lakshadweep coast line 132 km and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands coastline is 1962 km.
l Salt pans are a common feature of coastal states of India. These support the important salt industry.
l The Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is the world's second longest beach.
l A Bay is a large body of sea water surrounded by land on three sides. The Bay of Bengal is an example.
l A Gulf is a large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land. The Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat has the second largest tidal range in the world.
l Estuaries are water bodies where there is mixing of freshwater from river and salt water of the sea. Estuaries are highly productive ecosystems and abodes of rich biodiversity.
l A Lagoon is a shallow lake of salt water separated from sea by offshore islands, coral reef, sand bars or shingle spits.
Chilika Lagoon, Largest in India
l Chilika Lake in Odisha, spread over 1165 sq km, is the largest lagoon in Asia and second largest in the world, after the Patos Lagoon in Southern Brazil. It is a Ramsar Site, a wetland of international importance.
Our Coastline
100 km. Landward side
Seawardside
12.5 m
25 m
37.5 m
50 m
Coastal Space: ranges from 100 km landward to 50 m seaward
Mumbai is actually an archipelago (group
or cluster) of 7 islands. It appears as a
continuous land mass because of the
land reclamation and rapid urbanization.
Did You Know?
Painted Storksin Chilika Lagoon
Painted Storksin Chilika Lagoon
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50 m
Sponge-Crab AssociationSponge-Crab Association
l Is 'Jellyfish' a fish?
l The jellyfish is not really a fish.
They belong to the phylum
Coelenterata, are found as free
swimmers (moving with waves and
currents), and have tiny stinging
cells in their tentacles.
Did You Know?
About 97 per cent of all species found in the sea are invertebrates (animals without backbone). They range from primitive sponges (Spongilla) to the complex echinoderms (starfish). Planktons are microscopic organisms that provide the basic source of food for aquatic life-forms.
Hints to the Past
l Balanoglossus is an “evolutionary link” between invertebrates and vertebrates. They have gill slits but no nerve cord.
l Ammonites (coiled marine molluscs) are an extinct group of marine invertebrates. Their fossilized shells are found in the Kali Gandaki valley of the Himalayas, indicating the presence of sea once upon a time in that area.
l Horseshoe Crab is known as a 'living fossil' because it is almost identical to the species present during the Triassic period (230 million years ago). It has nine eyes and copper-based blue colour blood.
l Squids are the largest invertebrates on earth. A giant squid's eyeball can be as big as a basketball! It can change its colour to suit its surroundings. The Humboldt squids are intelligent and hunt in groups exhibiting cooperation and communication.
l Amazing Partners: The Clownfish and the Sea Anemone have a useful partnership. The Clownfish avoids its enemies by staying nestled among the Anemone's stinging tentacles. In return, it protects the Sea Anemone from its predators like butterfly fish. The Anemone also gets nutrition from the faeces of the Clownfish. This is an example of mutually beneficial relationship called symbiosis.
l Chilika is a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems with estuarine characters.
l Chilika supports rich and varied wildlife – the highest density of the Irrawaddy Dolphins, 167 species of migratory and resident birds, etc.
l The lagoon includes the Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary (15.53 sq km of Nalaban area) and the rest is "Closed Area" under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Chilika: A Success Story
Chilika lagoon was designated as 'Ramsar Site' in 1981. Around the same time, ecological factors and human activities were putting severe pressure on the lagoon. This adversely affected the livelihood of the local community. To address these issues, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) was formed in 1991 under the aegis of Forests and Environment Department, Odisha. Over the last two decades, the CDA has implemented a variety of measures e.g. catchment area treatment, de-siltation of lead channels, opening of mouth to the sea, fishery resource development, improvement of the ecosystem and overall eco-development programmes with the community. As a result the ecosystem has been restored to a great extent and there has been improved livelihood of the community. CDA got the international Ramsar Wetland Award and also the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, both in 2002.
Life can be found even in the deepest and darkest corners of the sea.
Amazing Life In The Sea
Horseshoe CrabHorseshoe Crab
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The dominant group of vertebrates (animals with backbones) in the sea is made up of fishes although the marine vertebrates range from tiny fishes to giant whales.
So special!
The special aquatic adaptations like gills to extract oxygen and salt from water, streamlined shape of the body and fins help the fish swim swiftly in water.
Some fishes migrate from river to sea and vice-versa for spawning (egg laying and sperm discharge). The 'Hilsa' swims up from sea to rivers and 'eel' migrates from freshwater rivers to sea for spawning.
Keystone species
A keystone species is a species that exerts major influence on the structure of the ecosystem. If its population dwindles the food web can be drastically disturbed. The Dugong (seacow), the State Animal of A&N Islands, is a keystone species in the seagrass ecosystem.
The base of the marine food web is invisible.
Microscopic marine plants – phytoplankton – form the basis of the marine food web.
Seagrass is the only flowering plant that can live underwater in the sea. Seagrass absorbs nutrients from coastal run-off, which helps stabilise sediment. This keeps the coastal waters clear. Seagrass beds are the feeding grounds for marine animals like dugongs, turtles, prawns and fishes.
Seaweeds are macroscopic algae found largely in shallow coastal waters. They have specialized pigments for absorbing whatever minimal sunlight falls on the coastal waters. Hence they are found in
Plants In The Sea
l Out of 58 varieties of seagrasses in
the world, India has 12 varieties
belonging to 6 genera.
l Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Andaman
& Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep
islands are well known for
seagrasses.
Did You Know?
l Dugongs and Dolphins are not
fishes; they are mammals living in
water.
l Whales are mammals of the deep
sea, sometimes come close to the
coast.
Did You Know?
Habitats And Inhabitants
Full Of Fish
As the homes so the occupants.
Diverse species have characteristic features that help them to live in their specific habitats like mud flats, estuaries, sandy beaches, mangroves, lagoons.
Sea to Sand
l Sea Turtles: Five species of sea turtles – Olive Ridley, Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Leatherback and Loggerhead – come to the Indian coasts for nesting every year. Gahirmatha in the state of Odisha is the world's largest rookery (mass nesting site) for Olive Ridleys.
In the Mangroves
l Mudskippers: These walking fish can breathe through their skin, crawl and jump on mud flats.
l Sundarban Tigers are well adapted to mangrove forests with a lean and athletic build. They prey on fishes, crabs, water lizards and other aquatic animals.
l Saltwater crocodile, the largest crocodile in the world, is also found in mangrove forests in estuaries. Its special ability to excrete salt is one of the adaptive features for living in the estuarine habitats.
Guests from Abroad: The Indian Coasts are host to lakhs of migratory birds arriving from Siberia, Asia, Europe, Arabia and Mongolia.
2546 species of fish have so far been recorded along the Indian coasts.
Green Sea TurtleGreen Sea Turtle MudskippersMudskippers
Sundarban TigerSundarban Tiger Puffer FishPuffer Fish
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different colouration and are accordingly classified into: Blue-Green Algae, Green Algae, Brown Algae and Red Algae.
Seaweeds also have other adaptations like holdfasts instead of roots, stems and leaves, to hold firmly on any place; stipes to keep them upright, and leaf blades for photosynthesis.
From colorful, glistening algae to the gallery of sea grasses and seaweeds.
The vegetation of the Indian coasts is unique in forms and functions.
Plants along the shore
There are 338 species of coastal sand dune flora found in Indian coasts. The predominant species are Beach Sedges, Beach Morning Glory, Giant Milk Weed, Horse-tail Sea Oak, Coconut and Palm tree.
Cocos on coast
The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is predominant along the Indian coast with incredible adaptations to the saline environment and sandy soil. The coconut fruits can float for thousands of miles in the sea until they are cast onto a sandy shore and eventually sprout to life.
It is said that every part of the coconut tree has important uses. It is used for food and shelter, and plays a significant role in livelihood, culture and lifestyle of the coastal communities.
Food, fish resources, medicines, livelihoods
Protection from floods, shoreline erosion, cyclones
Floral Paradise
Mangrove Ecosystem Services
Support in nutrient cycling, topsoil formation and fertility
Cultural & spiritual, Educational & scientific information, Recreation
and more... Multipurpose Mangroves
Your roots are showing!
Mangroves are a group of specialized woody, flowering plants growing in intertidal region along creeks, estuaries and river deltas. They have stilt (aerial) roots for support and breathing during water logging. The diagram shows some more adaptations.
Mangrove habitats are also a migratory path for catadromous fish (fish migrating from river to sea, e.g. eel) and anadromous fish (migrating from sea to river for breeding). Hilsa fish is an example of anadromous fish.
Corals are tiny animals living in colonies in the sea.
Each coral is called a polyp of a sea anemone and lives inside a cup of calcium carbonate (limestone). It has a mouth at the top surrounded by tentacles that help to capture food.
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are colonies of tiny corals found in marine waters. They are very fragile ecosystems and indicate the health of the overall marine ecosystem. Global factors such as climate change, pollution caused by oil spills, pesticides, sewage and dredging are threatening the health of the reefs.
Tsunami Soldiers
Coral: Stone, Plant Or Animal?
l About 60% of the coral reefs of the
world are found in the Indian Ocean
l Most of the coral reefs of the Indian
ocean are Atolls
l Greatest coral diversity is found in
the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Did You Know?
Sea GrassSea Grass
Stilt (Aerial) Roots Stilt (Aerial) Roots
Stilt (aerial)root for support
during waterlogging
Thick succulent leaves tominimize evaporation
salt glandsto extract salt
Provides breeding, feeding,and shelter to many animals
Viviparygermination
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l Algins from brown algae are used in paints, pigments, dyes, paper, cardboard, textiles, explosives and fire retardants.
l Pearls from Pearl Oyster are used in jewellery. Artificial pearl culture is carried out in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
l There are 13 major and 185 minor ports along the coastline of India. The cumulative impact of port-related activities harms coastal biodiversity.
l Every day, about 18240 million (1824 crore) litres of untreated sewage is being discharged into the sea in India!
l Every day, about 34 million (3 crore and 40 lakh) tons of garbage and other solid waste is being released into the sea in India!
Coasts and islands are facing threats from a variety of factors – human activity-related as well as natural.
l Overexploitation of fishery resources.
l Dredging and mining of shore sand leading to shore erosion and flooding.
l Pollution, oil spills, sewage and effluent disposal, hot water discharge from thermal power plants, coastal ground water over-exploitation, urbanization and industrial establishments that convert coastal habitats.
l Climate change impacts like increase in sea surface water temperature, sea level rise, changes in ocean currents, coral bleaching.
Coasts Under Threat
S.O.S.
Types of Coral Reefs
l Fringing reefs (grow close to the shore)
l Barrier reef (grow away from the shore and are separated by wide
expanse of water)
l Atoll (roughly circular ring of reefs)
There are 3322 fishing villages in India employing over 14 million
people.
About 50 per cent of the total marine fish production in India is from
nearshore waters, caught by traditional fishermen.
Essential Elements from the Sea
l Minerals like iodine, bromine, magnesium, calcium, silicon and tin
are extracted from the sea water. Deposits of radioactive elements
like thorium are found on the seashore of Kerala and Odisha.
l Materials extracted from sea sponges have antibiotic and
antifungal properties.
Salt of the Sea
Can anyone think of a delicious dish without salt?
l Salt production through salt pans is a common feature of all coastal
states of India.
l The farmers of Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal cultivate
more than 10 varieties of salt-tolerant paddy in saline low land areas.
l Agar from brown algae is used in bakery products, ice creams and
microbial culture media.
Livelihood Gifts From Sea
l Carrageenan extracted from red
seaweed is used as a thickening
agent in cakes, chewing gums,
jams, jellies, and also in cosmetic
products like toothpastes,
shampoos, shaving cream.
Did You Know?
Salt FarmingSalt Farming
AgricultureAgriculture
FishingFishing Sea erosionSea erosion
Horseshoe Crabcaught in a net
Horseshoe Crabcaught in a net
Port operationsPort operations
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l Natural hazards such as tsunami, cyclones, storm surges, coastal flooding.
Early Warning System
l Some species capture signals of the biological conditions in the environment. They give an early warning of the deteriorating health of the ecosystem, e.g. coral reefs, sponges, mussels, pearl oyster. These are known as bio-indicators.
l Haliclona tenuiramosa is a marine sponge which absorbs heavy metals present in sea water and, thus, a concentration of these metals in its tissues can indicate the level of pollutant load.
l Sea urchins are used as bio-sensors for the effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Turtles are often caught in fishing nets. To prevent this, a Turtle Excluder Device (TED) has been invented.
TED is a frame installed in the trawl net used for fishing. It allows large animals like turtles to escape in case they are accidentally caught in the net.
TED is extensively promoted by Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, for use by marine trawl boat owners and fishermen. This has resulted in the conservation of endangered sea turtles significantly.
There are no dogs, no snakes on these islands!
l The coral reefs and lagoons have rich species diversity.
Ted To Trounce Turtle Trap
Lakshadweep
l The lagoon, reef and the deep sea provide the islanders with their basic needs - food, construction materials, and livelihood resources such as fishing and coconut cultivation.
l Common sea birds are Taratachi (Sterna fusca) and Common Noddy (Anous stolidus)
The Coral Islands
l The word 'Lakshadweep' in Sanskrit means one lakh (laksha) islands (dweep). In fact, this island group includes 36 islands of which 11 are inhabited.
l Some of these islands are made up of coral formations, and others of rocky formations and large lagoons.
l There is a continuous interaction of coral reef, lagoons and the sea. All these harbour a variety of plants and animals.
l The islands have no forests and no endemic plants. Most of the plants have been introduced from the Indian mainland and other countries.
l Coconut groves are the predominant vegetation.
About half of all the plants and animals found here are not found anywhere else in the world!
The Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) islands have been isolated from the mainland for millions of years. This has led to the evolution of flora and fauna that are not found anywhere else. Plants and animals found in a particular area but not anywhere else in the world are called endemic species. There are 95 species of birds, 8 species of bats, 301 species of plants that are endemic to A&N islands.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Fishing trawl net with TEDFishing trawl net with TED
Each island is fringed by large lagoons
on the western side and by rocky
formations on the other three sides.
Did You Know?
Coral with open polypsCoral with open polyps
Rani crabRani crab
406 medicinal plants have been
recorded in A&N islands.
The islands have some of India's best
nesting beaches for three species of
marine turtles: Leatherback,
Hawksbill and Green Turtles.
Did You Know?
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A&N are a group of 306 islands situated in the Bay of Bengal. Of these islands, 33 are inhabited, 88 are designated as sanctuaries and 6 areas as National Parks. Two of these are Marine National Parks.
l Megapode: This bird is closely related to fowl (hens and cocks). The bird does not sit on its eggs. To provide warmth, it lays its eggs on ground and covers them with a mound of leaves and soil.
l Andaman Day Gecko: This emerald green reptile is found only in the Andamans.
l Andaman Water Monitor: Lives in fresh and salt water where it feeds on crabs, prawns and shelled creatures.
l Giant Robber Crab: With powerful jaws and legs, it can pluck a coconut from the tree, tear away the outer cover and feed on the flesh inside.
l Nicobar Crab-eating Macaque: It is endemic to the Nicobar islands and prefers to live in mangroves and coastal forests.
l Andaman Padauk, or East Indian Mahogony, is valued for its toughness and use as timber. When freshly cut the wood is bright red, which fades over time to a rich brown.
Visitors that stayed on:
Animals brought to the islands by humans or transported through natural factors or other animals are called introduced species. Some of these species are domestic dogs, cats, goats, spotted deer, house sparrows, rats, etc. Now, the unchecked population of these species has become a threat to the native (local) species.
MARINE PROTECTED AREA NETWORK
31 Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs) covering 6271.2 sq km have been designated. These fall in 9 coastal states and 4 Union Territories.
CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH
Various Government Departments, research institutions, and NGOs are working towards marine biodiversity conservation and coastal management. These include
Government of India: Ministry of Environment & Forests (Nodal Agency), Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries management and Aquaculture), Ministry of Defense (Oil pollution and Poaching), Ministry of Urban Development (Town and Country planning).
Research Institutions and NGOs: National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, National Institute of Oceanography, National Institute of Ocean Technology, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (all Government associated) National Fish Workers Forum, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Environmental Team, etc. (all NGOs).
There are various Acts & Rules of Government of India for safeguarding the coasts and islands in India. The specific ones include Fisheries Act, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification and the Island Protection Zone (IPZ).
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships (Marine Pollution Convention) is one of the international attempts towards the management of coasts and islands.
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CONSERVING FOR TOMORROW
Mangroves for the Future
Mangroves for the Future (MFF) is an IUCN and UNDP led partnership-based initiative promoting investments in coastal ecosystems that support sustainable development. MFF provides a collaborative platform for many countries, sectors and agencies taking up the challenges of coastal ecosystem conservation and livelihood sustainability and is helping them to work towards a common goal. MFF in India has focused on improving the scientific knowledge base for Integrated Coastal Management and on managing coastal and marine biodiversity.
Although MFF has chosen mangroves as its flagship ecosystem, the initiative embraces all coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, wetlands, beaches and seagrass beds. Its management strategy is based on specific national and regional needs for long-term sustainable management of coastal ecosystems.
To Save Sharks
Wildlife Trust of India marched a step forward targeting specific groups to change perceptions, impart awareness and education, in order to conserve the whale shark in India.
About 5,000 people (fishermen, school children, NGOs and government officials) participated in the Whale Shark Vhali Utsav 2007 in Veraval, Gujarat.
Cultural Practices
lConch Shell, Coconut, Cowrie as sacred items in their puja – worship. Red Coral stone is considered as an astrological gem.
lThe Shiva deity in Nataraja temple in Chidambaram district
(close to the Pichavaram mangrove forests) in Tamil Nadu is
called Thillai Natarajar – named after the Thillai mangrove
(Excoecaria agallocha) worshipped since the 3rd century.
lThe local community of the Sundarbans pray to 'Bano bibi' and
'Bandurga, Bandevi' as a guardian deity of the Sundarban
mangrove forests. 'Sundarban' in Bengali language means
('Shundor' – beautiful and 'bon' – forest) – a beautiful forest of
the Sundari trees (mangrove species, Heritiera fomes). The
Sundarbans mangrove forest is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
lThe Matsyasana (yogic posture) is from the Sanskrit word
Matsya (fish). It strengthens the spinal cord and helps
digestion. Our ancient Rishis observed features of biodiversity
to create healthy lifestyles.
Landmark in Sea Turtle conservation
Smithsonian Natural History Museum recognized Sea Turtle
Conserverancy's (STC) long-term Green Turtle recovery
program at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, as being one of the world's
greatest marine conservation success stories. STC has worked
with the Tortuguero community since 1959 to protect green
turtles. This effort has produced a 500 per cent increase in the
nesting population—making the Tortuguero green turtle colony
by far the largest in the Western Hemisphere.
l In India, total extent of mangrove
cover is 4,639 sq km.
l West Bengal has nearly half of the
mangrove cover of the country.
l An increase of 58 sq km of
mangrove cover has been reported
at the national level as per India
State of Forest Report 2009.
Did You Know?
155154
Lead Knowledge Partner
G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development (GBPIHED)
Photographs
l Botanical Survey of India
l Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions
l International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
l International Snow Leopard Trust
l Nature Conservation Foundation
l Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Kashmir
l Uttarakhand State Medicinal Plants Board
l Wikimedia Commons
l Wildlife Institute of India
l World Wide Fund for Nature – India
l Zoological Survey of India
l C.S. Negi, Uttarakhand
l Sanjeeva Pandey, Himachal Pradesh
l Syed Suhail, Jammu & Kashmir
Resource Institutions
l Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions
l International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
l Nature Conservation Foundation
l Wildlife Institute of India
References and Information Sources
l Bio-Cultural Profile of Central and Western Himalayas. 2009. Madhu Bala Sharma, V. Kaul, V. Sarkar, B. Joardar (Eds). Serials Publications.
l Report of the Task Force on THE MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS for Eleventh Five Year Plan, Planning Commission, Government of India, 2006
l Resource information database of the Indian Himalayas, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, 2006
l Wildlife Protected Area Network in India - A Review: Executive Summary, Wildlife Institute of India
l Wildlife in the Himalayan Foothills: Conservation and Management, P.C. Tiwari & Bhagwati Joshi
l http://www.iucn.org
l http://www.conservation.org
l http://www.mountain.org
l http://en.wikipedia.org
l http://www.socialtours.com
l http://www.interestingfunfacts.com
l http://www.conservationmagazine.org
l http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org
l http://www.icimod.org
l http://protectmountains.org
l http://wwfindia.org
l http://moef.nic.in
l http://bsienvis.nic.in
l http://www.ramsar.org
l http://www.unesco.org
l http://www.koausa.org
l http://www.dakshin.org
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
Trans-Himalaya and Himalaya
Photographs
l Botanical Survey of India
l Abhijeet Das
l Aditya Roy
l Aminul Islam
l Ashish Sakla
l Bhaswati Kakati
l Bijaylakshmi
l Barpuzari
l Bijoy Sankar Goswami
l C.S. Negi
l CEE Photo Bank
l Dave Bird
l Debapratim Saha
l Dhiresh Shah
l Dilip Panging
l Farhad Contractor
l Ganesh Pangare
l Gaurav Sharma
l International Snow Leopard Trust
l Joy Chakraborty
l Joydeep Shil
l K. N. Rai
l Kalyan Varma
l Kamal Lochan Purohit
l Kedar Champhekar
l Mayukh Ghose
l Mukesh Acharya
l Nitesh Parulekar
Resource Institutions and Individuals
l Applied Environmental Research Foundation
l Andaman & Nicobar Environment Trust
l Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment
l Botanical Survey of India
l Central Arid Zone Research Institute
l Central Himalayan Rural Action Group
l CPR Foundation Environmental Education Centre
l Centre for Science and Environment
l Deccan Development Society
l GEER Foundation
l Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology
l International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
l International Union for Conservation of Nature
l Kalpavriksh
l Madras Crocodile Bank Trust
l MS Swaminathan Research Foundation
l National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources
l North Eastern Hill University
l Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History
l Society for Andaman & Nicobar Environment
l World Wide Fund for Nature
l Zoological Survey of India
l P R Sinha, WII
l V B Mathur, WII
l R Suresh Kumar, WII
l Pijush Kumar Dutta
l Prasad Kumar Dash
l Pratyush P. Mohapatra
l Rajasri Ray
l Rajpal Singh
l Ravi Panchal
l Rebo Borah
l S.Sivakumar
l Sanidhya Narayan
l Sanjay Das
l Satheesh Periyapatna
l Satish Sharma
l Satyabrat Mishra
l Shantun Malhotra
l Sushant Kumar Nayak
l Sushma Durve
l Syed Suhail
l Tetei Ralte
l V. Deepak
l Vinod Gajjar
Acknowledgements
Biodiversity
Lead Knowledge Partner
Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
157156
Lead Knowledge Partner
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)
Photographs
l CEE Photo Bank
l Wildlife Trust of India, Guwahati
l Aitijya (The Heritage)
l Aminul Islam, TERI
l Bhaswati Kakati
l Bibhab Talukdar, Aaranyak
l Bijaylakshmi Barpuzari
l Bijoy Sankar Goswami
l Debapratim Saha
l Dhrubajyoti Bardoloi, Gauhati University
l Dilip Panging
l Firoz Ahmed, Aaranyak
l Gautam Narayan, Ecosystems India
l Gonchandra Sarmah, Manipur Pollution Control Board
l Gunamoni Das
l Joy Chakraborty, Ecosystems India
l Joydeep Shil
l Mayukh Ghose
l Nabami Basumatary, BN College
l Nagaland Pollution Control Board
Resource Institutions and Individuals
l Aaranyak
l Cotton College
l Ecosystems India
l Gauhati University
l Lotus Progressive Centre
l Tripura Forest Department
l Birendra Nath Dutta
l P C Bhattacharjee
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
North East India
Lead Knowledge Partner
Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
The Gangetic Plain
Photographs
l CEE Photo Bank
l Photo collection of JICA assisted UP-Participatory Forest Management Poverty Alleviation Project
l Ganesh Pangare
l Rajeev Chauhan, Director, Society for Conservation of Nature, Etawah
l Sandeep Behera, Associate Director, River Basins and Biodiversity, WWF-India
l Sanidhya Narayan
l Shailendra Singh, Country Director, TSA India
l Sheena L Koeth, Biologist, TSA, India
l Sunil K. Choudhary, Vikramshila Biodiversity Research & Education Center, Bhagalpur, Bihar
References and Information Sources
l For A Living Ganga–Working with People and Aquatic Species, Behera, S., Areendran G., Gautam P. and Sagar V. New Delhi: WWF-India, 2011
l Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Vol.-I, December 2010, National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India)
l Forest Biodiversity – Earth's Living Treasure, 2011, UP State Biodiversity Board
l Jane-Pahachane Bihar - Prakrti Ka Adbhut Sansar, Chart for NGC Schools in Hindi, A CEE Publication, 2011
l Map Gangetic Plain: Biogeography Zones of India, Wildlife Institute of India
l Probable Agricultural Heritage Sites in India: Asian Agri-History Vol. 16, No. 1, 2012 (21-44) 21, Singh K. Anurudh
l Ecology of Dudhwa, Singh R.L. 2002, Paryavarana Gyan Yogna Samiti, Lucknow
l An Evaluation of Distribution, Status and Abundance of Freshwater Turtles in Uttar Pradesh, Singh S, Basu D, Tripathi A, Singh R.L. and Singh R.P. Published in Fresh Water Turtles and Tortoise of India, Envis, Wildlife and Protected Areas, ISSN 0972-088X, Vol.12, No. 1, 2009
l The Gharial - Our River Guardian, 2011, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India
l http://www.dudhwatigerreserve.com
l http://www.agri-history.org
l Partha Pratim Baruah, Gauhati University
l Peter Lobo
l Pijush Kumar Dutta, WWF- India
l Purnima Devi Barman, Aaranyak
l Rajen Pradhan, Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management. Govt. of Sikkim
l Ramki Sreenivasan, Conservation India
l Ranjan Kr. Borah, Pragjyotish College
l Ravi Panchal
l Rebo Borah
l Safiqul Islam Bhuyan, NERIST
l Sanjay Das
l Sanjib Baruah, Gauhati University
l Satyabrat Mishra
l Satyanarayan Mishra
l Simanta Kalita
l Tetei Ralte
References and Information Sources
l Amphibians and Reptiles of North East India- A photographic Guide- M. Firoz Ahmed, Abhijit Das, S.K Dutta
l Biodiversity Significance of North East India- Sudipta Chatterjee, Abhinandan Saikia, Pijush Dutta, Dipankar Ghosh, Govinda Pangging, Anil K. Goswami
l ENVIS Bulletin: Himalayan Ecology 12(1), 2004) B.S. Asati and D.S. Yadav
l Status paper on rice in North East India- Dr. S. V. Ngachan Dr. A. K. Mohanty & Dr. A. Pattanayak
159158
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
References and Information Sources
Info-graphics
l http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/in-nr-04.pdf quick facts
l http://www.cepf.net/Documents/final.westernghatssrilanka_westernghats.ep.pdf profile
l http://www.cepf.net/Documents/CEPF_WesternGhats_factsheet.pdf facts and map
l http://www.cepf.net/Documents/WesternGhats_outcomes_map.pdf MAP
l http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/
l http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/
l http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/RL-540-001.pdf
l http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/sahyadri/maps_index.htm
l http://www.cepf.net/Documents/WesternGhats_outcomes_map.pdf
l http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/hpg/santosh/emsind.gif
l
l http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/sahyadri
l http://www.ecofriends.org
Lead Knowledge Partner
Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science
Lead Knowledge Partner
Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
Photographs
l CEE Photo Bank
l Maldhari Rural Action Group
l Tarun Bharat Sangh
l Guru Arjan Dev Institute of Development Studies, Amritsar
l Aditya Roy
l Devjibhai Dhamecha
l Farhad Contractor
l Gaurav Sharma (ZSI)
l G. Singh (AFRI)
l Kalyan Varma
l Mukesh Acharya
l Rajpal Singh
l Rohit Patel (GUIDE)
l Satish Sharma
l Shantun Malhotra
l V. Vijay Kumar (GUIDE)
l Vinod Gajjar
Resource Institutions
l D. V. Rangnekar
l Dinesh Misra, Addl. PCCF, Gujarat State
l Lokhit Pashu Palak Sansthan, Rajasthan
l Minoo H. Parabia
l Ratibhai Pandya
l Rohit Patel, GUIDE, Gujarat
l Satish Sharma, Rajasthan State Forest Department
l Shailendra Tiwari, Sevamandir, Rajasthan
l Subhash Nautial, Head, Botany Division, FRI, ICFRE, Dehradun
l Tarun Bharat Sangh, TBS, Rajasthan
l Uday Vora, Gujarat State Forest Department
l V. K. Bahuguna, Director General, ICFRE, and Vice Chancellor, FRI University, Dehra Dun
l V. Vijay Kumar, Director, GUIDE, Gujarat
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
The Indian Desert and The Semi-arid Zone
l Important Bird Areas in India, BirdLife International, M. Zafar-ul Islam and Asad R. Rahmani, Indian Bird Conservation Network: Bombay Natural History society, and BirdLife International (UK)
l India's Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Ministry of Environment and Forests, GoI, New Delhi, 2009
l Natural Heritage of Gujarat (Forests and Wildlife), H.S. Singh, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar, 2001
l Nature Scope India, Discovering Deserts, CEE, 2005
l Report of the Task Force on Grasslands and Deserts, Government of India, Planning Commission, New Delhi.
l Special Habitats and Threatened Plants of India. ENVIS Bulletin: Wildlife and Protected Areas, Vol. 11(1), 2008; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
l The Book of Indian Butterflies, Isaac Kehimkar, BNHS, 2008.
l The Radiant Raindrops of Rajasthan, Anupam Mishra
l Times of India, 2 Dec, 2011; Ahmedabad edition.
l www.moef.nic.in
l www.icfre.org
l www.wii.gov.in
l www.unep.org
l www.iucnredlist.org
l www.birdlife.org
l www.bsienvis.nic.in
l www.zsienvis.nic.in
l www.haryanaforest.gov.in
l www.pbforests.gov.in
References and Information Sources
161160
Photographs
l CEE Photo Bank
l Creative Commons Attribution
l Down to Earth
l Keystone Foundation
l Wikimedia Commons
l Akhil Vijayakumar Modemplackel
l Amoghvarsha
l Dave Bird
l Kalyan Varma
l Nitesh Parulekar
l Rajasri Ray
l Saldanha
l Santosh Sutar
l Satish Awate
l V. Deepak
Resource Institutions
l Dr. T. V. Ramachandra, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science
Acknowledgements
Western Ghats
Lead Knowledge Partner
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
Photographs
l CEE Photo Bank
l The Walt Disney Company India
l S. Rao
l Hemal Solanki
l K. N. Rai
l Kalpesh Dave
l Kedar Champhekar
l Nitesh Parulekar
l NTFP-EP Network (India)
l Ravi Panchal
l Sarita Thakore
l Satheesh Periyapatna
l Satish Awate
l Sushma Durve
Resource Institutions and Individuals
l ANTHRA
l Dharohar
l ICRISAT
l IUCN Country Office
l Lok Panchayat
l Wildlife Institute of India
l Nilesh Heda
l Sahaj Samruddha
l Satheesh Periyapatna
References and Information Sources
l http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/it-initiatives-to-conserve-forests-wildlife/
l http://moef.nic.in/report/1011/AR-Eng%20Vol2.pdf
l http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/ GIB%20Species%20Recovery%20Plan.pdf
l http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black_naped_hare.jp·http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/ Poecilotheria_metallica.JPG/768px-Poecilotheria_metallica.JPG
l http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Terminalia_muelleri_leaves_ in_Talakona,_AP_W_IMG_8296.jpg
l http://malkhaindia.blogspot.in/2011/09/blog-post.html
l http://images01.olx.com.pk/ui/11/69/27/1295939617_ 160816227_3-Granted-aseel-murgs-hens-for-sale-Lahore.jpg
l http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cajanus_cajan.jpg
l http://www.kalpavriksh.org
l http://www.anthra.org
l http://www.madrascrocodilebank.org
l http://www.myindianculture.com/2011/12/indian-folk-art-tribal-art-paintings.html
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
The Deccan Peninsula
Lead Knowledge Partner
National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM)
Photographs
l ANET
l CEE Photo Bank
l United Artists' Association (UAA)
l Abhijeet Das
l Dhiresh Shah
l Kamal Lochan Purohit
l M. Satyanarayan
l Mukesh Acharya
l Prasad Kumar Dash
l Pratyush P. Mohapatra
l Rudra Mahapatra
l Satyabrata Mishra
l Satyanarayan Mishra
l Shriji Kurup
l Sushant Kumar Nayak
l Vinod Gajjar
Resource Institutions
l Institute of Ocean Management, Anna University, Chennai
l Chilika Development Authority, Bhubaneswar
References and Information Sources
l An evaluation of flora from coastal sand dunes of India: Rationale for conservation and management, Ocean & Coastal Management, vol. 54 (2); 2011
l Conservation and management of mangrove habitats, Centre of Advance Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University
l Conservation of Chilika lake, Orissa, India; The 12th World Lake Conference
l Living Sea, CEE Publication
l Mangrove: a livelihood option for coastal community, Bangladesh Research Publication Journal, April 2010, Vol. 3, Issue 4.
l Mangroves for the Future (MFF), National Strategy and Action Plan India, MoEF.
l Marine biological resources of India: an over view, National Biodiversity Authority
l Oceans Omnibus, CEE Publication
l Report of the public consultation with fisherfolks and community to strengthen CRZ Notification, 1991
l Report of the Task Force on islands, Coral reefs, Mangroves & Wetlands in Environment & Forests, MoEF
l Report on visit to Lakshadweep : a coral reef wetland included under National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme of MoEF, Planning Commission, GoI
l Seaweed Farming : An alternative livelihood for small scale fishers, Coastal Resource Center, University of Rhode Island
l Towards safe coasts, CEE Publication
l Treasured animals, ANET Publication
l Turtle excluder device in trawl nets: applicability in Indian trawl fishery, Indian Journal of Fisheries, 58 (4); 2011
l www.cmfri.org.in
l www.icsf.net
l www.moef.gov.in
Editing, Design and Development
Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
Acknowledgements
The Coasts and Islands
163162
1919
CEE Credits
Coach 2: Trans-Himalaya and
Himalaya
Abdhesh Gangwar, Rashmi Gangwar,
Senjooti Sen
Coach 3: Gangetic Plain
Preeti R. Kanaujia, Neeraj Pal, Abdul Kalam
Coach 4: North-East
Abdhesh Gangwar, Simanta Kalita,
Bijoy Goswami
Coach 5: Western Ghats
Shailaja Ravindranath, Ishwar Poojar,
Reema Parikh, Santosh Sutar
Coach 6: Desert and Semi-arid
Atul Pandya, Ramesh Savalia, Janki Shah,
Santosh Gupta, Amit Shah, Amrita
Badheka, Ayub Sherasiya, Samat Solanki
Coach 7: Deccan Peninsula
Sanskriti Menon, Satish Awate, Sarita
Thakore, Satya Ranjan Mahakul
Coach 8: Coasts and Islands
D.P. Rath, Satyanarayan Mishra, Shriji Kurup
Design Coordination
Kiran Desai, Kalpesh Dave, Meena Nareshwar
Graphic Design
D. M. Thumbar, Mukesh Panchal, Shailesh
Bhalani, Hemal Solanki, Hitesh Vaza,
Mahendra Dadhania, Hardik Raval,
Pankaj Gorana,
Chirag Thumbar
Exhibit Design
Kalpesh Dave, Praful Bilgi
Models
Kaushik Christian
Fabrication and Installation
Co-ordination: Kalpesh Dave, Hemal Shah, Amrut Anna, Ramesh Sachania, Mansukh Modasia, Dipendra Harsora, Chandubhai Gajjar, Dineshbhai Prajapati, Amrut Thakore, Manilal Sudra, Jayantibhai Patel, Madhavsingh Chauhan, Vipul Parmar, Praful Padhiyar, Rajendra Waghela, Ashok Waghela, Fatesingh Thakore, Manubhai Thakore
Ravi
Panchal, Jogendra Rajora,
Pratik Gajjar,
Printing & Production
Shailesh Bhalani, Pratik Gajjar, Baldev Thakor
Take-away Material
Concept: Kartikeya Sarabhai
Pattern Design: Santiago Acosta, Juliana Pelaez
Co-ordination: Aditya Ray, Purvi Vyas
Souvenir Mug, Kit Bag: Santiago Acosta, Juliana Pelaez
Booklet Design: Mukesh Panchal,
Hardik Raval, Hitesh Vaza
Brochure Design: Mukesh Panchal, Mahendra Dadhania
Poster/Post Card Design: Pankaj Gorana
Printing & Production: Mukesh Panchal
Administration & Purchase:
Sureshbabu, K. Chandran, Rethi Menon, Rajesh Rathod
National Microbe Nominations/ Activity: Shyamala Mani, Purvi Vyas
164 165
We would like to thank all those from the
Ministry of Environment and Forests who
provided us vital encouragement and
support as well as made valuable and
creative suggestions to the exhibition.
CEE Team
Coordination
Kartikeya Sarabhai, Kiran Desai, Mamata
Pandya, Atul Pandya, Ramesh Savalia,
Kalpesh Dave
Secretariat
Atul Pandya, Ramesh Savalia, Janki Shah,
Amit Shah (RPG Team), Meena Nareshwar
Editing: Mamata Pandya, Kiran Desai,
Ramesh Savalia
Coach 1: Introduction to India's
Biodiversity
Kartikeya Sarabhai, Sharad Gaur, Ramesh
Savalia, Kedar Champhekar, S. Sivakumar
1919
‘Science Express - Biodiversity Special’ (SEBS), an innovative and unique mobile exhibition mounted
on a specially designed 16 coach AC train, traveled, in the First Phase, across India to 52 locations
from 5 June to 22 December 2012. In its Second Phase it will travel across India to 62 stations from
9th April to 28 October 2013. The state-of-the-art exhibition aboard the SEBS aims to create
awareness about the biodiversity of India, climate change and similar issues among students,
teachers and the general public.
A collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) and Department of Science
& Technology (DST), Government of India, SEBS, in its First Phase, was also stationed at
Secunderabad to coincide with the XI Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
(COP-11) held from October 1 to 19, 2012 in Hyderabad. Dignitaries and delegates from about 190
countries and various organizations visited the SEBS during this time.
Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) and Centre for Environment Education
(CEE), Ahmedabad along with lead knowledge partners - Bombay Natural History Society, Centre for
Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and
Development, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, National Centre for Sustainable
Coastal Management, National Museum of Natural History, Wildlife Institute of India and Wildlife Trust
of India, and several others have contributed to give final touches to this unique exhibition on wheels.
In the First Phase the train traveled 18,000 km, halting for 3-4 days at each of the 52 locations. The
exhibition was visited by more than 24 lakh visitors. Of the 16 coaches, eight coaches supported by
MoEF highlight biodiversity found in different bio-geographical zones of India as well as various facets
of marine, coastal, forest, microbial, agro biodiversity and their linkage with livelihoods besides
challenges of conservation. Three coaches have exhibitions on Climate Change, Water and Energy
Note on Science Express – Biodiversity Special (SEBS)
166 167
conservation supported by HSBC, the Swiss Embassy, Nestle and PCRA. The Legacy of Science
Express showcasing the most popular exhibits from the previous phases has been exhibited in one
coach. The VASCSC Joy of Science (JOS) Lab supported by Indus Towers is housed in another coach,
in which students can perform various experiments and activities to understand concepts in
biodiversity, climate change, environment and science. A training facility is also provided in a coach
primarily for capacity building of teachers in Environment and Science.
Complementary activities will be organized to reinforce the message of SEBS. These include the
Outreach Programme to be conducted at local schools and institutions associated with the National
Environment Awareness Programme (NEAC), National Green Corps (NGC) and the Paryavaran Mitra
Programme. Interesting platform activities for visitors of SEBS have also been planned at respective
train stations. In addition to this, informative take-away material will also be made available for wider
distribution among visitors.
The SEBS, Phase II, will be flagged off from Delhi on the 9th April 2013 from the Safdarjung railway
station. The exhibition timings will be between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm at respective railway
platforms (schedule attached). If you want to plan a visit to the exhibition or have any queries
regarding it, please send an email to [email protected] or contact +91 9428405407.
Science Express - Biodiversity Special Schedule
(9 April 2013 – 28 October 2013)
Sr. Station Exhibition Dates
No.
1 Delhi Safdarjung (Flag off) 9 April 2013
2 Pragati Maidan 10 - 13 April 2013
3 Patiala 14 - 16 April 2013
4 Jalandhar City 17 - 20 April 2013
5 Verka 21 - 24 April 2013
6 Pathankot 25 - 27 April 2013
7 Bajalta 28 April - 1 May 2013
8 Amb Anduara 3 - 4 May 2013
9 Ambala Cantt. 5 - 7 May 2013
10 Haridwar 8 - 10 May 2013
11 Bareilly 11 -13 May 2013
12 Azamgarh 15 - 16 May 2013
13 Mughal Sarai 17 - 20 May 2013
14 Bhagalpur 21 - 24 May 2013
15 Katihar 25 May 2013
16 Purnea 26 May 2013
17 Bagdogra 27 May 2013
18 Alipurduar Jn. 28 - 30 May 2013
19 Lumding 31 May - 2 June 2013
20 New Tinsukia 3 - 6 June 2013
21 Dimapur 7 - 8 June 2013
22 New Bongaigaon 9 - 12 June 2013
23 New Coochbehar 13 - 15 June 2013
24 New Farakka 16 - 18 June 2013
25 Raniganj 19 - 21 June 2013
26 Joichandi Pahar 22 - 24 June 2013
27 Sini 25 - 27 June 2013
28 Kharagpur 28 June - 1 July 2013
29 Balasore 2 - 4 July 2013
30 Cuttack 5 - 8 July 2013
31 Balangir 9 - 11 July 2013
32 Raigada 12 - 14 July 2013
Sr. Station Exhibition Dates
No.
33 Vishakhapatanam 15 - 18 July 2013
34 Kakinada 19 - 21 July 2013
35 Tirupati 23 - 26 July 2013
36 Chennai Central 27 - 30 July 2013
37 Cuddalore Port Jn. 31 July - 3 Aug 2013
38 Tiruchirapally 4 - 7 Aug 2013
39 Kudalnagar 8 - 11 Aug 2013
40 Trivandrum 12 - 14 Aug 2013
41 Alappuzha 16 - 19 Aug 2013
42 Coimbatore 20 - 23 Aug 2013
43 Kozikhode 24 - 27 Aug 2013
44 Kannur 28 - 31 Aug 2013
45 Madgaon 2 - 5 Sep 2013
46 Miraj 6 - 9 Sep 2013
47 Maltekdi 11 - 14 Sep 2013
48 Aurangabad 15 - 18 Sep 2013
49 Valsad 19 - 21 Sep 2013
50 Navsari 22 - 25 Sep 2013
51 Vadodara 26 - 28 Sep 2013
52 Ujjain 29 Sep - 1 Oct 2013
53 Kota 3 - 6 Oct 2013
54 Daurai (Nr. Ajmer) 7 - 9 Oct 2013
55 Marwar 10 - 12 Oct 2013
56 Abu Road 14 - 16 Oct 2013
57 Linch (Nr. Mehsana) 17 Oct 2013
58 Bhaktinagar (Rajkot) 18 - 19 Oct 2013
59 Junagadh 20 - 22 Oct 2013
60 Bhavnagar 23 - 25 Oct 2013
61 Adraj Moti (Nr. Gandhinagar) 26 - 27 Oct 2013
62 Gandhinagar Capital 28 Oct 2013
(Schedule subject to change)
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